Forget Me Not
by Winter's Holly
Summary: Part One of Memoirs Trilogy: Two years later, Sasuke returns injured and found that Sakura no longer remembers him. But he stays with Sakura for a week until he slowly falls for her without even realizing it. What now...SasuSaku Review! Thanks!
1. Chapter I: Lost Memories

Yo! I've been here a lot and wrote stories, but never actually joined until my best told (more like forced) me to register on Fanfic. So this is my first fanfic, okay. Please be gentle! But if you don't like then you could just leave and not read my fic. That's just fine with me.

Disclaimer: I don't what's the point of doing this anyway! OF COURSE I DON'T OWN NARUTO! If I did, I would've been rich and not have Sasuke leave at all!

Summary: "Sasuke, I expect you to be gone when I return. No matter what you do, don't ever come back," Sakura said stoically. Pairing SasuSaku. Rated M for some events

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Forget-Me-Not

Chapter1: Lost Memories

'_Never linger in the past but also never forget it.'_

_There are memories that many of us can never erase yet we also never want to forget them. There are the happy memories and there are the very sad and painful memories. We live our lives the way they are hoping for the better, in the end only knowing that it will all be in vain. That's why we just live and take whatever chance we have left in life and accomplish things we always wanted to do. Life's a rollercoaster. If you're not careful, you just might fall off. Cherish your precious people and never let them go. _

-o0o-

_'Damn! They're catching up!' thought the raven-haired teen as he ran through _the woods. Since early evening, they've been pursuing him nonstop. Five chunin were after him and he doesn't even know who they are.

A whizzing sound was heard as he dodged the shuriken thrown at him. Landing on a large tree branch panting, he performed the hands required to make his signature fire jutsu. He held the last sign, waiting for one of the pursuers to come by before releasing the jutsu.

_Snap!_

That was all it took for him to know where his enemy was. He took a deep breath and the recited the words like he did the many times before: _"Katon! Gokkakyu no Jutsu!" _A blaze of fire escaped the back of his throat, passed his tongue, and through his lips with burning him, but instead burned his enemy. After the flames dissipated, the man stared at the ground where the body should have been, but it was replaced by a charred log.

_Shit! Kawaramini no Jutsu!_

He quickly jumped off the tree and ran as fast as he could. But his body wouldn't allow it. It was too bruised and broken and out of strength. All of his charka is almost depleted. But the gate to Konoha was so close by, he wouldn't give up now. As they came in view, the trees become less dense and made him easier to spot; though it was now easier to move through.

"Close the gates! Close the gates!" Yelled one of the chunin.

The enormous gates slowly moved forward, decreasing the sight of Konoha form the man. _'I'm almost there!' _There were two men at the doors trying to close it as fast as they can. The doors were almost touching each other now that he can't even fit through it. He stopped for a moment and hid behind a bush. Looking at his surroundings, he tried to figure a way out, and then brought his gaze back to the now closed gates. He looked at the sign that said _'Konohagakure no Sato' _and felt a pang in his chest. If he went over the gates, he isn't sure he could see his teammates again, especially _her. 'Well I'm here, might as well go ahead.' _He stood up careful not to let any of the other shinobi to spot him and quickly jumped over the gates avoiding the guards.

He ran down the path that also led to the academy until he spotted someone on the bench that held most of his memories of _her. _It was dark with a full moon that was pale yellow. It was exactly like the night he left her. He halted for a second and hopped over the stone wall right behind the bench. In front of him, he noticed the person was girl, considering the way her silhouette looked.

It was a really cloudy night, though there was no sign of it indicating it might rain seeing as how windy it was, too. The leaves flew off their branches and into the distance where they'll never be seen again. Crickets were singing, enjoying the nice cool weather. The clouds slowly floated away so the pale moon could shine what light it had.

The sight nearly took his breath away since the girl that somehow never left his mind, sat in front of his very eyes. He could still see that she left her hair short though in a different style and wore a shorter version of her traditional long red jacket. From the back, he could see that her curves improved a lot and no longer have any baby fat. He heard her sigh and saw her move to lie on the bench. When she spoke, it felt like ages since he last heard her voice. But it wasn't something he expected.

"Why does this place, 'specially this bench, seem so…familiar?" she asked herself quietly.

The boy moved back slowly, can't believing what he just heard. Before he could get away, he stepped on a twig that broke with a loud snap.

"Who's there!" The girl sat up immediately holding a kunai while looking over the bench. When she saw him, she stopped as quickly as she came. Her eyes—giving them a gentle glow—as she saw how bloody his body was.

_'You still look the same, especially your eyes,' _he thought, noticing her approach. But she stopped when footsteps was heard coming fast.

"Sakura-chan!" yelled a voice he quickly recognized. "What are you doing here!"

Sakura backed away and glared at the blonde boy as the other six watched silently. "Naruto, stop telling me what to do. I'm not a child!"

"Sakura-san, Naruto-san isn't suggesting that you are a child, but there's a dangerous criminal on the loose," a boy with a bowl-like haircut intervene, but Sakura wouldn't listen.

"Look, Lee-san, I've been sitting here since you guys left and so far, there was no one," Sakura moved to sit above the bench with her right hand hanging behind her. She fingered the ground to the boy as he tried to figure what she wanted. He looked down to see her pointing at the rocks and smirked. The guy picked up a small rock and placed it in Sakura's hand as she moved it beside her; with a slight flick of her wrist, the rock flew across the road and landed with a thump.

The seven boys looked alarm and quickly moved except for Naruto and long, brown-haired boy with lavender eyes. "Haruno-san, if I were you I'd listen to Uzumaki," he said.

"Well, it's a good thing you're not me, huh? No offense, even if you are older than me, Neji-san, I still wouldn't take your advice not matter how important," Sakura replied stubbornly. Neji glared at her for a second and took off with the others. Naruto was just about to take off, too, when Sakura called, "Naruto!"

"What is it, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, facing the pinked heir girl.

"What is the criminal's name?" She asked as Naruto grimaced. For a while, none of them spoke. "Sakura-chan, it'd be better if you didn't know. I mean—,"

"Naruto, just tell me already! You act like it's going to kill me it I knew!"

"O-okay," stuttered Naruto, "his name is Uchiha Sasuke." When Sakura didn't react, the boy and Naruto grew nervous.

"Really? Uchiha Sasuke?" she asked as Naruto nodded. "You know, I really wanted to meet him even if he did betray Konoha. I mean I would, too, if it would mean I'd be able to avenge my family."

"Sakura-chan, your situation is a bit different—,"

"No, it's not! We're all alike: me, you, and Sasuke-san. All three of are orphans. We lost our family in different ways and age."

"Sakura-chan."

"I just don't want him to be alone anymore. I mean…it's just…"

Naruto gave a small smile and went over to Sakura. He patted her head like a little child and knocked his forehead against hers. "You may have lost your family later than me and Sasuke, but you know exactly how we feel."

"Naruto, thank you," Sakura titled her head and smiled, too. "You're more like my little sister now, Sakura. And guess what?"

"What?"

"If you ever did meet Sasuke, the two of you really would've got along."

"Really," she asked with wide eyes as Naruto nodded. The blonde turned to leave, but stopped midway. "Oh and Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Even if you found and helped him, don't forget to do the right thing, okay? I promise to convince Tsunade-baasan to lessen the punishments, alright?"

"And you better keep that promise or I'll kick your ass!" Sakura yelled, waving her fists in the air as Naruto chuckled and took off. When the coast was clear, Sakura tentatively moved over to the bench and jumped over the wall. There, the boy laid with a hand over his abdomen, panting hard. Sakura crept slowly towards the boy and shook him a bit, making him open his eyes.

"Hmm…" he moaned. Sakura felt his forehead and it was boiling hot. She grew worried and slipped an arm on his waist while she quickly transported both of them to her house. "There. Just lay here while I clean and heal your wounds."

Sakura took off his shirt and started healing his wounds, once in a while taking out a shuriken off his body. After half an hour of cleaning and healing, Sakura dressed his wounds and gave him some new clothes and washed the dirty ones. Then she went into the kitchen and started reading her scrolls and books until she fell asleep.

-o0o-

_Ba-dum!_

_'W-where am I?'_ His eyes slowly opened to prevent the bright sunlight to hurt his eyes. He scanned the area around him and found himself in a large bedroom that was a creamy color. On the far right of the room was a desk organized with books and paper with a small frame on the left corner; next to it was a large bookshelf with books of different sizes and lengths; in front was a dresser of cherry wood with pictures along the top of it and above it was a scroll of the poem "Ninki." He blinked and smirked as he recognized it; it was the very same poem he used as a password during the chunin exams. _'I guess she hasn't completely forgotten me.'_

The man stood up and walked out of the room and into the hallway where more pictures hang. Light shown from downstairs illuminating the stairs and the end of the hall as he descended. The living room had the same creamy color with the couches lined along the walls. The curtains area see-through whites that flowed from an invisible wind. The entertainment center was in the middle of the room, but doesn't look like has been used in a while. He strolled into the kitchen and saw the person he was looking for on the table.

Examining her, he quickly noticed how define she is now; she filled in all the area she lacked especially in the chest area which he had to refrained from blushing at; her faced looked more smoother and softer, but somehow he could see how stressed she look as she slept.

"Mmm…," Sakura grumbled as she slowly opened her green clear eyes. What she saw didn't really surprise her as it should; it was the face of Uchiha Sasuke. "Shouldn't you be resting? Your wounds have yet to heal."

"Hn," was his answer to her as he walked around the table and sat in one of the kitchen chair. Sakura stared at him with gazing eyes not totally trusting him yet. After thirty minutes of the staring contest, the kunoichi got and left the kitchen without another word. When she was safely in her room, Sakura sighed and slid down the door and to the floor.

_'Sakura, what have you gotten yourself into now?' _she thought of what her sensei the Godaime would say and just shrugged it off afterwards not caring anymore. _'Though things would get a bit interesting here.' _The ticking sounds of the clock echoed across her too organized room. She sighed and got up from her position on the floor; she had to report to Tsunade again for check-ups on her wounds from a previous mission. Footsteps were heard coming the stairs as Sasuke looked up to see Sakura emerging from the living room.

The pink-haired girl gave the boy a longing, disturbing gaze before speaking. "Do not come out of this house or I _will _report you to the Hokage and charge as a missing nin and S-class criminal." Then she was out the door in a second after the warning.

Sasuke sat unmoving from his seat and glared at the door from which Sakura departed and smirked. _'Really now, Sakura?' _He got up from the chair and was about to leave until he stopped and transformed himself into a dark brown hair and blue eyed teen who looked about nineteen. _'Hmph! See if you can find me now, Sakura!' _And out he went through the door.

-o0o-

_Knock!_

"Come in!" was heard on the other side of the door when Sakura waited. She came in and saw her shishou behind another stack of papers and sighed. Tsunade looked up from a scroll she seemed to be reading and smiled when she saw her student.

"Sakura! How are you feeling today?" she asked, strolling to the girl. "Do your wounds still hurt?"

She shook her head. "They don't hurt as bad as they had before, but it's still sore."

"I need you to take off your shirt so I can see them and change the bandages," the blonde woman said, but stop when she felt something strange. "Sakura, you haven't been healing anyone, have you? I specifically told not to try so hard when you're injured." She sighed and continued rummaging through the cabinets for some disinfectants and bandages.

"No," she told her stiffly. Tsunade lifted a brow cautiously, but shook it off after a moment. Sakura sighed as she took off her shirt and sat on the bed; the paper scrunching up from the sudden pressure.

The Godaime came over and examined her student's injured body and sighed again. The wounds were deeper than she expected. It was taking a while to heal; the first wound stretch from her left shoulder stopping above her heart and the second was the more fatal one that was short in length but deep in depth.

"Sakura, you need to rest more and train less. Your wounds aren't going to heal if you keep on reopening them," the girl rolled her eyes as she was prepared for her shishou's lectures. "Seriously, Sakura, I know your bored from not doing anything, rushing things won't work. Wounds heal over time."

"Hai, hai. I understand, Shishou. I promise not to train until my wounds healed," the kunoichi said nonchalantly, though Tsunade wasn't very convinced. "Don't worry, alright? I'll be fine."

"Oh, fine. Now lift up your arms so I could dress your wounds." The girl did as she was told without question. It was quiet between them, except for Sakura's wincing when Tsunade tighten the bandage too much.

"There, I'm finished." The woman said with a grin on her face, proud of her work. "Now get out of here and don't get in trouble."

"Ja'ne, Sensei," Sakura retorted as she left the room.

As soon as the tower was out of sight, Sakura made a dashed towards the training, trying to avoid getting caught. People stared at her as she rushed past them as a blur making them curious. Sakura always enjoyed the rush of the wind on her face; it was just exhilarating. Maybe that's why she always went on missions. It kept her busy and concentrated on what she was supposed to be doing, but she always did them alone. Why? She just didn't feel comfortable of working in a team anymore. It was irritating for her to wait for people or follow rules. She always had a problem with authority now. The only ones she didn't have problems were her two sensei: first is whom she considered her father after real father died, Hatake Kakashi; and second is the one she deeply respected who she also considered part of her family: Tsunade. Once in a while she'll get in a fight with them, but it was never big.

Sakura came to an abrupt stop when she reached the clearing when she first became a genin or so she was told. Sakura honestly couldn't remember anything of her days as a genin; when she tried they were all just a blur.

The trees rustle with the gentle breeze that flow evenly through the forest. Though the sky was darker than usual, it was strangely comforting to the girl while she stood enjoying the coolness that Nature offered. It was too bad no one was here to share the same tranquility she felt when she was here.

_'Okay, enough of this now, Sakura. You have some training to catch up one on,'_ she thought quietly to herself.

Her legs widen their range into a fighting stance that was somewhat similar to the Hyuuga stance, but not quite. Her breathing came in and out evenly as she steady herself for the brutal training she was about to put upon herself.

-o0o-

Sasuke sighed as he wandered the streets of his childhood days when his brother didn't kill their clan or when he betrayed Konoha for Orochimaru. The people were as lively as before as if they don't notice anything happening outside the large gates that protect them. They don't even notice an extremely criminal was walking amongst them so freely. When Sasuke bought a bottle of water at the local grocery store, the cashier gave him a polite smile that it shocked him for as second. It seems that he wasn't use to the generosity given to him anymore. After spending years with an evil person who would treat you cruelly, it could change your perspective on things. Life isn't as easy as you thought it was.

_'It feels so strange to be around all theses carefree people.' _He glanced at a couple who were happily holding hands as the boy whispered something in the girl's ear which made her giggle. Sasuke turned away from the sight angrily. Seeing that somehow reminded him of how Sakura wanted them to be; happy and without a care in the world. She always wanted to help him, but he could never figure out why. She always managed to have an effect on him and it just drove him to no end.

Sasuke passed by another couple who laughing just for the hell of it and it just made him angrier to see these actions. _'How could these people be so damn happy all the time!' _During his rush, Sasuke bumped into a person knocking him to the ground.

"Itai! What the hell you bastard! Watch where you're going!" screamed the familiar voice.

Sasuke whirled around to see his best friend on the ground, rubbing his bum with the Hyuuga heiress, Hinata by his side clutching his sleeve while staring at Sasuke. His gazed widen as he felt his anger built up; it was just sight of seeing Naruto again made him infuriated. How could someone so dense could be so much stronger than he was? How was that Naruto was able to fight even though he barely had any strength left in him? Why was _he_ so weak compared to _Naruto! _Sasuke took off in a hurry, not wanting to see that boy's face that reminded him of his goal: to kill his brother, Itachi to the forest.

-o0o-

Sakura stood with knees supporting her upper body as she panted heavily and rapidly. The whole entire area that she trained in was completely demolished. There were many craters all around her while on tree trunks were embedded with kunais and shurikens; some of the large branches were also broken off. Other trees had some burnt markings on them, leaving only a charred area where the tree used to be alive. There some that had been lifted from their roots and thrown across the clearing knocking down others trees along with them.

When she straightened up, Sakura smirked at her work obviously proud of the damage she had created.

_'Maybe I went a little overboard this time,' _she thought guiltily as the once beautiful clearing turned into a dead wasteland. _'Tch!' _The wounds on her body slowly reopened themselves again as the front of her red shirt darkened with the rapid flow of blood from her wounds. _'Damn it! Shishou will definitely scold me again for this. Maybe I won't visit her for the next check-up, but then she'll know something's up. She _always _does.' _Sakura groaned as she trudged towards the river and stripped herself of her clothes.

_'It's a good thing I brought some bandages with me.'_ She thought slyly, bringing herself slowly into the cool water. Wincing, Sakura took off her bandages and threw them next to the piles of clothes. Taking a deep breath, she dove under and swam through the blue water.

Meanwhile, at the exact moment Sasuke happened to see her stripping and tried to turned away when her wounds caught his attention. The crimson, sticky liquid just came pouring out and all she did was wince!

_'What the hell does she think she's doing! If she swims like that, she'll lose more blood, stupid woman!' _he thought anxiously. But all of those thoughts went away when the kunoichi emerged from the water, now soaking wet. She was still submerged, but only her bare back was visible to him. Sasuke just watched Sakura sit with hair dripping little water droplets around her. Her skin was shiny from the sun reflected off her wet skin. For some reason, seeing this didn't make him blush or think something vulgar in any way.

_'Does she even know I'm here? If she does, how could she just sit there like that?' _he asked himself out of curiosity.

The girl shuddered, but it wasn't from the cold breeze that just came. It seemed like the cause form somewhere else. Sasuke watched as Sakura lifted her right hand and suddenly a blue glow formed around her hands as she started healing herself. The Uchiha watched with amazement at how easily she closed her harmful wounds, but somehow he knew that she knew that it won't be healed that way. Even now he was still shocked to find how strong she was now. Earlier on his way here, Sasuke saw the field that Sakura managed to disintegrate and gave an involuntary shiver.

But what he found strange the most was her lack of reaction when she saw him and heard his name. When he came back, he half expected her to cry and hug him, but she didn't. It was as if she never knew him and was just helping him because she thought it was right. But how could that be possible? Didn't she say she loved him and would do anything for him? So how she could have possibly forgotten him? Unless she decided to forget him by erasing her own memories. Even that didn't make sense to him. Where were her parents? He never saw either of them. Did they leave her or something? Where could they have gone without their own daughter? Maybe it was time for him to do a little questioning with the citizens of Konoha. They would probably know something.

Sasuke stood up carefully, not wanting to alarm the girl who was just putting her attire back on. With a quick hand sign, Sasuke transported himself out of the woods just right outside of it. He checked to see if anyone was around before jumping towards the tower and landing on top of the roof. Looking inside the window below him, there was no one in the hall so this gave the boy a perfect chance to get inside without getting notice. Before going in, Sasuke made sure to hide his charka so he wouldn't be detected.

He ran quickly—swiftly and silently—through the halls before making towards his destination—the file room. Scanning the area, Sasuke slowly opened the door and entered the dark room. It was filled with shelves of scrolls and books and filing cabinets that contained valuable information. Opening one of the cabinets, he searched through the 'H' files until he came across Sakura's last name, 'Haruno'. Smirking, he took out the file, shocked because of its size.

_'Man, is she that important?' _he thought, annoyed by how heavy it is. _'Missions, health…the hell where's her personal info!'_

Sasuke impatiently went through the rest of the file until there was nothing left. He groaned and slammed a fist in the floor, making a loud bang. There were voices that were heard a little ways from the room as he tensed up. _'Fuck! That was stupid!'_ Sasuke quickly put everything away until he knocked over a large pile of folders that were stacked on top of each other; one caught his attention as he made a quick grab for it before disappearing out of the room.

_'Damn, that was close!' _the onyx eyed shinobi thought as he dropped himself to the ground in the forest. _'Now let's what we've got here...' _The scroll in his hand had a large stamp on the front that said 'classified' on it with a red seal on the opening. He hastily opened it and through the contents. _'What the! W-what's this!' _

-o0o-

The loud bang of the front door echoed throughout the house; a sign indicating that no one was home. Sakura gazed slowly around to see if the person she was looking for was really gone. She shook her head in disappointment as she entered her empty room. She sighed. _'Men, why don't they ever listen? I was hoping he wouldn't do anything rash. But that's a lost cause, too,' _she thought calmly to herself as she gathered new clothes to take an actually shower.

The shower head turned on with a blast of hot water while the steam slowly rose to the ceiling. While taking off her bandages, Sakura stared at her reflection; it showed a face that used to be happy now filled with emptiness. Her image didn't contain the cheerful aura around her anymore; her face that was once rosy from the blush on her cheeks was so pale that she looked like the walking dead. There were no longer any purple circles under her eyes as before since she got used to waking up late. She was thinner than before but not enough to make her look anorexic which was good or Naruto would've bug her to no end.

Stepping into the hot water, she leaned her had back allowing the water to soothe her aching muscles and wounds. _'Why am I acting like this in the first place? I'm not even that nice to Naruto…so why now?_ Sakura opened her eyes to stare her hands like they're the meaning why she's doing this. _'Who are you, Uchiha Sasuke…and what are you to me?'_

The girl turned off the water and started drying herself slowly. After she finished dressing her casual clothes, Sakura went to get her wallet and keys and lock the door behind her. As she strolled down the street, men gazed at her with lust in their eyes as always, but she ignored them like it was nothing. Ever since she got older men were after her despite her young age. Sakura looked at the sky for the first time in her life with a smile and no worries. People who passed by, wondered why she was smiling for happily today when she never did before.

_'I think my life just took an interesting turn,'_ she thought, while smirking widely.


	2. Chapter II: Linger and Wander

Yeah! The Second Chappie of Forget-Me-Not has arrived! Woohoo! Yeah, my evil best friend told me I really needed to reread the first chapter and when I did, I just laugh so hard for some freakish reason! Oh well! Here's the story!

Disclaimer: sighs I really wish I did, then I wouldn't have to sit here and write this every freakish time. Argh! I...want...choco chocolate!

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Chapter II: Linger and Wander

The streets seemed busier this afternoon as Sakura continued to search around for Sasuke. She tried the forest, the school, the weapon shop, and all the places she thought a criminal might go. In the end, it was no use. Headed towards the ramen shop—Ichiraku—Sakura noticed mostly everyone she knew there: Naruto, Hinata, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji were all having lunch together. Neji must have noticed because right when she turned to leave he called her.

"Hey there, Neji-san," Sakura said stiffly through her teeth.

The Hyuuga nodded in response. "It's strange to see you out and not training, Haruno-san. Did you have a good evening last night?"

She shrugged and sighed, taking a seat beside Naruto, who seemed a bit down than usual—though he's always been like these days. "Naruto, what's with the face? It's not like you to be down. Come on; eat your ramen before it gets cold."

The blonde boy shook his head rapidly and gave a loud and heavy sigh while Hinata comforted him. "I can't believe it. We were so close to catching him and he just disappears," said Naruto melancholically.

"Yeah, there was not even a trace of him anywhere," Shikamaru mumbled grumpily.

"Oh, it's not that bad. I'm sure you guys would catch him next time," Ino chimed in.

On the other side of Ino, a snort was heard from Chouji as he shoved more food than before down his throat. "If there is a next time," he said with a mouthful of ramen.

Sakura glanced briefly between Naruto and Neji who was in deep thought before he spoke quietly. "I don't think he'll be coming back to Konoha for a while. It didn't look he was going to stop soon when we neared the gates last night."

"Yes, but we can't know for sure. We'll have to search for him again tonight, just to make sure," Shikamaru stated thoughtfully. After that no one spoke until Sakura became irritated.

"Who the hell are you guys talking about!" She shouted, though she had a pretty good idea who they were talking about, but she just wanted to see if it was the person she thought it was. Everyone stared at her in shock and some with pained expressions. For them, the subject at hand was a sensitive topic. It was already bad enough that their friend couldn't remember her past, but to bring it up was tough. "Well?"

Naruto sighed and looked at Sakura. "I already told you last night remember?"

"Oh, right. Sasuke was it?" Naruto nodded. "So he got away from you, did he? That's a shame," she said coolly not seeing her friends' reactions.

"S-sakura-chan, are you okay?" Hinata asked quietly.

The said girl lifted a brow and frown. "Of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Is there something wrong with the way I act?"

"N-no! Gomen," the dark-haired said hastily.

Seeing Hinata's reaction, Sakura lowered her head and sighed. When she faced them again, they were surprised to see how tired she looked now. "Look, have you seen—,"

"Oh! Do you mean your cousin?" Tenten asked. "Yeah, we saw him a while ago. Isn't he your age?"

"Uh…y-yeah! He's about fifteen or sixteen, I don't remember. Do you know where he went?"

Tenten nodded and pointed in the direction of the academy. "He went there with Lee earlier."

"Okay." Sakura took off right when Tenten told her while the others watched her fade away. Neji turned to look at Tenten with a serious gaze.

"Why did you do that?" he asked roughly.

The girl had a worried look on her face as she spoke. "Just look at her, Neji. Didn't you see how exhausted and stressed she looked?"

The others nodded.

"It doesn't seem like she's getting any better. Sakura looks like she just gets sicker everyday. She was a lot paler today than she was yesterday," Ino commented.

"Yeah, when I saw her yesterday, I didn't feel her charka until I was able to see her. The jutsu Tsunade put on Sakura to suppress her memory seems to be eating her energy away that we can't even sense her," the blonde boy said.

Hinata faced her cousin. "If we got Sasuke-san back, Neji-nii-san, do you think he can help Sakura-chan?"

Shikamaru snorted. "Even if we did, do you he'd be willing to help his former teammate even if she helped him? Probably not, considering how he just left us beaten up like shit last time!"

"But still, there's has to be a way to save her. I mean, don't you guys remember what happened when we found her outside the gates two years ago! That bastard might still be after her!" Ino yelled, as she slowly started to cry while Tenten and Hinata came over and comforted her.

"What _can _we do? The teme already made up his mind to go to Oto. He wouldn't care about what would happen to Sakura-chan," Naruto said bitterly, crunching his fist in anger and regret.

The afternoon didn't seem to be happy anymore after that conversation. Though the streets were busier at night and more cheerful, it just doesn't fit without their once cheery and happy friend with them.

-o0o-

On the roof of the academy sat two guys who were staring at the setting sun. The two of them have been there for quite sometime now, but neither of them spoke. As they sat, the brown-haired one was in deep thought. _'How should I ask Lee about Sakura without getting caught?' _Sasuke thought to himself only to be interrupted by Lee's sigh.

"Did you come to Konoha to visit your cousin?" he asked sadly.

Sasuke inwardly smirked. "Yeah, I did. What happened to her anyways? I've never seen her act like this before. Can you tell me?" _'Wow, that's the most I've ever said in my entire life!'_

The mini version of Gai sighed once more. "There were a lot of stories going around Konoha about what had happened to Sakura-san. Some of them were lies; some were part of the truth, but the only ones who know every detail of the incident is Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-sensei, and Naruto-san. The rest of us only knew the background of it. It's truly a sad story to hear. Are you sure you want to listen?"

Sasuke gave a cautious nod of his head, indicating he was sure.

"Well, it all started when Orochimaru placed the cursed seal on Sasuke during the chunin exams, but it got worse when he left. A great many things happened along the way, but the death of the Sandaime effected everyone especially Naruto-san." Lee shook his and sighed. "So after the third member of Team 7 left, everyone left. Sakura-san was the only member in her team who was still in Konoha."

Sasuke frowned. "What does that have to do with how she's acting now?"

"It has to do with everything that she's doing now," Lee said sternly. "The day after Sasuke left, Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba were sent to bring him back. But they failed the mission and came back with many injuries that were near impossible to heal. When Sakura found out, she wasn't seen for days outside her house. Her parents told us that she was in a deep depression and was also getting really ill that she wouldn't even wake up. After that we haven't heard from her for months. By then, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei had already left to train or perform a mission.

"It was really sad and painful to not see a single member of Konoha around. We all thought we'd never seen them again and stopped hoping for them to come back…," Lee whispered.

"And then happened?" Sasuke asked blankly, urging the boy to continue.

Lee frowned with a hint of uncertainty upon his face. "And then Sakura-san just shows up out of nowhere all healthy again. It was as if nothing had occurred to her. She was the same Haruno Sakura everyone knew; on the outside though.'

It was Sasuke's turn to frown. "What do you mean?"

"Well, at first, she was acting normal, but when she went on a mission—she was ruthless. Sakura had no emotion whatsoever. There was no hint that she even felt a slight bit happy or angry when we saw her. She was like an empty shell of human whose soul left." Lee shuddered at the statement. "Sakura either trained or stayed inside her house to read or study constantly. She never smiled or laughed; she just smirks. It was scary—the look in her eyes. It looked like she was imagining she was killing Sasuke. She so strong now and went on mostly solo missions."

"Did this Naruto know about this?"

"Yes, he knew everything once he came back a couple of months ago. That's good though. At least he can keep an eye on her if she gets into trouble. He also helps her calm down a bit, too. They were on the same team at one point until Sai and Yamato took Sasuke and Kakashi's place; Sakura just said she was tired of working as a team and wanted to work alone." Lee sighed and slouch his shoulders. "But the one change we all noticed was that she doesn't even react when we mention Uchiha Sasuke. She just ignores it like she never even heard of him."

The sky was now dark and the lights of the village shone brightly, illuminating it like the stars in the sky. The two men sat quietly with no words of exchange. Sasuke sat thinking of what he just heard.

_'This all happened because of me?'_

Lee chuckled out of nowhere, catching Sasuke's attention. "You must hate him, now, huh?"

"Who?"

"Sasuke, for hurting your cousin like that." Sasuke didn't answer. "Don't alright? Sasuke's not really that bad of a person. I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt her. But if there was a way for him to help her, he should come back and save her from herself." Lee stood up while Sasuke just sat watching him. "I should get going now. Ja' ne!"

Lee disappeared leaving Sasuke to his thoughts.

_'I already came back, but it wasn't to help her. But…what if Lee's right. Maybe I could bring her back to normal.' _He thought, staring as the clouds passed by. _'Argh! How am I supposed to help her anyway! Dammit! Things are getting more complicated than I expected.' _

The shinobi sighed and disappeared from the mountain only to reappear in front of Sakura's house. The lights inside were still on as he opened the door warily and scanned the front room meticulously. Closing the door quietly, Sasuke moved his towards the stairs until a voice from the kitchen stopped him.

"And where were you today, Uchiha?" Sakura asked with a monotone voice. "I specifically said that you were to not leave this house."

"I wasn't gone that long," he replied coldly as he moved to sit across the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Fine," Sakura sighed. "But if you want to go outside, next time—please tell me so I don't have to go around looking for you all over the place."

Sasuke glared at Sakura who glared back with the same intensity. "I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, until you get caught right? Besides, I can't help you if do get caught by one of the shinobi here."

"Fine," he grumbled.

The ticking sound of the clock echoed throughout the house while the two sat in silence staring at each other.

"Hey, how old are you anyway?" Sakura asked out of nowhere.

"I'll turn sixteen in July. And you?"

"I just barely turned fifteen last Friday," she answered with a small sad smile that didn't go unnoticed.

"Why do you do that?" Sasuke asked, getting annoyed by the way she's acting.

"Do what?"

"That. Why do you smile sadly then act coldly?"

"That's only my business to know, not yours."

"Hn. Why do you act so calmly around me, then? Aren't you supposed to be afraid of me?" Sasuke said, frowning not liking the sound of the thought.

"Am I supposed to be?" Sakura replied back with another question of her own. "Besides, if I was afraid, I wouldn't have helped you in the first place."

Sasuke seemed disturbed by this. "Most people are afraid of me, you know."

Sakura rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well, I'm not like most people, now am I?" She glanced at the senbon she held in her hand. "You know, it feels like I've met you before." Sasuke snapped his head up at the comment. "I can't even have a normal conversation like this with anyone even Naruto, who knows what I'm going through more than anybody." Sakura gazed at the boy for a fraction of a second and went back to looking at the needle. "But it seems like you know more about what I'm talking about. I don't even have to say anything and you look like you already know what's going on in my head."

Sasuke smirked and snickered. "Hmph! Well, you are pretty easy to read. I mean, you could just tell by the way you sigh all the time and the way you smile. You're always looking…sad."

Sakura was appalled, but didn't show it. How could he know so much about her when they just barely met? She closed her eyes and gave a smirk of her own. "Well, you don't look like the typical criminal either, Sasuke."

"Heh, are we calling each other by our first names, now?"

The girl chuckled. "Yeah, I guess we are. I'm tired of calling you by your last name, anyways."

"And what should I call you, then?" He asked, even though he already knew. He just wanted to hear her introduce herself again.

"You can just call me Sakura."

It seemed to Sasuke that he got along with Sakura better now than when they were genin when she had a crush on him. He got to know how she was like; her likes and dislikes and so on. She had an easy personality than he had originally thought. At some point when they started talking about their childhood, the both of them frowned.

"I…I don't remember anything from my past," Sakura said quietly as the wind blew threw her hair.

They were on her balcony enjoying the night breeze that came. Sakura sat on the railing while Sasuke stood beside her leaning on it. The two of them gazed at the moon as the light bathe them in the darkness that surrounded them. Sasuke stared at Sakura as if he saw her for the first time. Well technically he was since he hasn't seen her for two and a half years. The wind blew her hair softly behind her shoulders revealing her pale neck. Her face seemed to glow and her eyes grew brighter than before. She had this serene aura around that he couldn't pinpoint. It seemed that the sadness in her expression made her look more elegant than before.

"Why don't you remember?" he asked back just as quiet.

She clenched her shirt around the area of her heart. "I don't why, but when I try it's like there something tearing inside my heart and it hurts so much that I can't even bare it any longer. It's like there something hidden deep inside that my subconscious won't even allow me to remember—like the memory will rip me apart."

Sasuke stared at her tight fist and grimaced at his own memory of her when he left her on the cold bench. Ever since he left, Sasuke couldn't get the image of Sakura lying there out of his mind. Everyday he would see her crying like she always did when he saw her at the park when they were children.

It was a long time ago, but he remembered it clearly as if it happened yesterday. It was just a few weeks after the tragedy of his clan. Sasuke was walking around the cherry blossom park, thinking how he would avenge his clan when he heard a sniffling sound not far. He looked around the tree and saw a small, fragile girl—there were blood covering her body as she lay on the ground unmoving. He thought it was strange to see a person with pink hair since he never seen person like that before.

_Flashback_

_'I still don't understand why he did that. Dammit, why did he have to kill our clan!' the small Sasuke thought angrily until the sound of someone crying caught his attention._

_The young boy looked around the large Sakura tree only to see a girl his age laying of the ground covered in bruises and cuts. She was by herself, crying tears out of her lifeless eyes. _

_'I wonder who she is. I've never seen her before.' His eyes lingered over her face—her face sort of reminded him of how he acted when he walked along the now empty streets of the Uchiha district. 'What happened to her?'_

_Before he could ask himself any further, the Sakura-haired little girl slowly sat up, wiping away her tears. Sasuke watched as she staggered to her feet and stared at her dirty hands._

_She sighed. "What am I going to tell Okaa-san now?" The little girl sighed again as she started back home. "Tou-san's going to have another fit, though. You're so weak, Sakura."_

_Sasuke followed Sakura all the way back to her house and hid in the tree right in front of her house. Just when Sakura was about to open the door, it opened suddenly as her mother embraced her._

_"Sakura-chan, where've you been! I was so worried about you!" She gasped as she noticed the blood and bruises all over her child._

_Her eyes soften as she hugged her daughter once more. "Sakura, those people hurt you again, didn't they?"_

_Sakura gave a nervous chuckled and shook. "It's not like that, Kaa-san. I just tripped and fell over the hill at the park, that's all. No need to worry."_

_'Why is she lying?' Sasuke thought as he watched the scene in front of him. 'Is she just going to let herself get hurt?'_

_"A-are you sure, Sakura-chan? It looks more than that," her mother said, unconvinced. Just then Sakura's father came home and saw his wife and daughter on the porch._

_"What's going on? What on earth happened to you, Sakura?" he asked worriedly, running up to his daughter. "Why are you covered in blood?"_

_Her mother sighed and shook her head tiredly. "Sakura says that she fell, but I think those other children hurt her again."_

_"Kaa-san, I told you it wasn't like that," she said quietly._

_Sakura's father sighed heavily as he picked her up and gently rubbed the dirt off her face. "Sakura, you don't have to act so strong. It's okay to tell us what happen, sweetheart. We won't get angry."_

_Right when he said, the little girl started crying softly which turned into a full out sob of sorrow. She cried while saying muffled words against his shoulder as her mother tried to comfort her._

_"I-I know…I'm sorry…I w-was too scared to tell you," she stuttered. _

_Her mother had a pained expression on her face as she embraced both her husband and daughter. "Sakura-chan, it's okay to be scared, honey. We love you very much. Don't cry it's alright."_

_Sasuke frowned and turned away, can't taking anymore of this. 'This is so stupid! Why did I follow her anyways!' He turned around and left as fast as he can; seeing that reminded him of his own mother—how she used to comfort him as well._

_End of Flashback_

From there on, Sasuke hasn't seen Sakura for quite a while until he went to the Ninja Academy. And then they were on the same team when they graduated. When he saw her again, she looked happier. He didn't want to destroy that happiness with his problems so tried to stay away from her thus leading him to where he is now.

"What about you Sasuke, do you have any memories you can remember from when you were a child?" Sakura asked, bringing him back to reality.

"I'd rather not say," he replied softly. Sasuke didn't want to remember anything from his childhood especially the day of massacre.

The two shinobi went into another silence once more as the night engulfed them. Sakura gazed at him softly, trying to imagine to herself what it'd be like to lose your family members by your own brother. She sighed and turned back to the moon.

_'I bet it's still painful for him to talk about it,' _she thought sadly.

"You know, I'd give anything to remember my childhood. Even though it might be sad and full of pain, I would treasure it deeply. Those are the memories that would only belong to me and no one else," Sakura whispered so quietly that Sasuke could barely catch the words.

He closed his eyes and sighed, remembering his memories with her. '_Yes_, _those memories also belong to me.'_

-o0o-

After the conversation, the both of them went to bed; well Sakura slept in her room while Sasuke slept on the couch in the living room. The house was completely quiet that everything that was barely heard was heard so clearly. The clock ticked loudly echoing throughout the house. Sasuke lay with hands behind his head and feet propped on the arm at the end of the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He had lain like that for at least two hours now, but he couldn't seem to go into a slumber. The situation at hand was something he truly didn't expect. He was, after all, sent here to Konoha to retrieve useful items to destroy it.

_'Okay, I was supposed to gather info and here I am in Sakura's living room on her couch.'_ He sighed tiredly as he turned to lay on his side. _'Damn, what am I going to do? This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't suppose to see Sakura again or anyone!'_

There was some movement upstairs as Sasuke laid perfectly still. The bedroom door opened slowly while footsteps trudged across the hallway. The lights were turned on as Sasuke heard Sakura take something out of the bathroom. It sounded like she was getting some pills for something.

"Dammit, stupid wounds making me feel like I'm in hell," she muttered angrily before stomping downstairs noisily.

Sasuke watched as she just completely forgets that he was on her couch. The girl went through the cabinets for a cup and then filled it with water until it overflow; Sakura drained it all down along with her pill. After that, she tossed the cup into the sink causing it to crash loudly, also making Sasuke cringed at the sound. Lazily, the girl made her way back up to the room while roughly turning off the kitchen lights and slamming the door. The sounds faded when Sakura went back to sleep.

Sasuke just stared at the stairs with one brow lifted. _'I wonder if she'll do this every night?' _

He sighed and just laid back down, deciding to finally go to sleep. _'I hope tomorrow will be better and maybe I could find some answers around here.'_

* * *

_Please Review, thank you! I would totally appreciate it! Constructive critizism is welcome!_


	3. Chapter III: Toki no Kawari

Yo! Winter's Holly's back with chapter 3 of Forget-Me-Not! This chapter has a little lime in here for ya! Oh yeah! Just to warn you, there's a fight scene between Sasuke and Sakura when they trained, but I think my describing it sucks like hell, so just bear with me!

Thanks for reviewing, but unfortunately I won't be updated for a while. No, I'm not discontinuing it. It's almost the end of the first quarter of school so I need to concentrate. My history teacher said we're going to have a test that's like 167 questions long! Another reason I'm not updating is that I'm not getting that much reviews (but thank you for those of you who did, I love you!). So until I get 45 or more reviews I'll update again. Don't worry I'll still update on "Gentle Illusions".

So here's Chapter 3 of Forget-Me-Not: Toki no Kawari or Change of Time.

Disclaimer: I SERIOUSLY DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

Naruto: Yeah like she said!

W.H.: What the hell! Go back in the closet!

Sakura: Haha! What a loser!

Sasuke: tch! You people are so damn loud.

W.H.: sticks tongue at Sasuke Screw you chicken butt!

Naruto: Ha! She called you chicken butt!

W.H.: smacks Naruto in the head I told you to go in the closet!

Sakura: Um...Hi! On with the story yelling and fighting in the background between W.H., Naruto, and Sasuke

W. H.: The Smackdown!

* * *

ChapterIII: Toki no Kawari

"Wait, where are we going?" Sasuke asked, annoyed since Sakura woke him up at four a.m. in the morning; he barely got any sleep since she kept on waking up in the middle of the night. Though it was an interesting way to wake up, of course…for Sasuke anyways since he was still blushing a bit for what occurred earlier.

_Thirty minutes earlier…_

_Sasuke…_

_"Mmm," the boy moaned as he pushed the annoying voice echoing in his head away._

_Sasuke…_

_"Go away," he grumbled._

_"Sasuke! Wake the fuck up now!" screamed the pink- haired kunoichi as she shook Sasuke's shoulders violently thus waking him._

_Doing this to Sasuke wasn't a very good idea, so in turn; he pushed her and caused her to crash into the coffee table and breaking a vase. This led Sakura to glare vehemently at the boy which he did the same. The staring contest continued for a couple of moments until Sakura forcefully grabbed Sasuke's arm and dragged him upstairs; due to her inhuman strength, Sasuke's arm was in agony though he'd die before showing his weakness._

_"Get dressed," she ordered._

_"What the hell for!" Sasuke screamed and glanced at his watch briefly. "And at four fucking a.m.! You're crazy! I'm going back to sleep!"_

_He was about to make way to go back downstairs until Sakura blocked the exit. Sasuke narrowed his eyes so much that they turned into mere slits._

_"Haruno, get the hell out of my way," he growled._

_"I will…," she said simply which Sasuke thought that she had given up. "…until you dress."_

_Sasuke growled even louder saying he was serious and that he would punch her even if she was a girl. "Dammit, Sakura! MOVE!"_

_"No, if you don't dress right now, I'll dress you myself!" argued the tiny girl._

_Sasuke couldn't take it anymore so put his hand on her shoulder to move her; unfortunately Sakura grabbed that hand and stuck a kunai at his throat while pinning him to the ground with her on top._

_"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke," she sighed, shaking her head making the locks of hair coming out of their bindings. "Don't you realize I have the upper hand here?"_

_Sasuke lifted a brow, obviously not understanding what she meant._

_"Tch, tch, tch!" she tsked. "I could still report you to the Hokage if you don't listen to me."_

_He glared at her. "You wouldn't."_

_She smirked and leaned closer so that there was only an inch between their faces; her bangs tickled Sasuke's cheek as he tried to ignore the feeling he felt from being this close to her._

_"Oh, but I would Sasuke-kun. If you don't be good, I'll just let the ANBU take care of you. I'm sure they'll do a better job than me."_

'Dammit! She got me! Godammit!' he thought angrily. 'Argh! Ugh, I'll just have to comply.'

_Sasuke groaned as he turned away from her face, not being able to looked at her eyes any longer. "Fine, I'll get dressed. Just get off of me, already! You're heavy!"_

_She chuckled humorlessly, making Sasuke gazed back at her curious. "What's so funny?"_

_"Are you sure you aren't just getting horny because I'm straddling you with a kunai at your throat?" she said teasingly._

_The boy's eyes widened at his cheeks flushed brightly. "What! Are you crazy!" he screamed quickly, trying to defend himself. "I'm not a fucking pervert!"_

_"You're right. Maybe you just don't like women as much as you like men!"_

_"That's just sick and wrong! W-why—what—that's just—why the hell would I even consider doing **that!" **Sasuke stuttered as the girl above laughed devilishly._

_"What? Are you saying you like women then? Why Sasuke, I never knew you were like that."_

_"NO, I DON'T LIKE WOMEN!"_

_"So that means you like men instead?"_

_"NOOO!" he yelled loudly trying to make a point, but it's not really working considering since his sexuality was at stake here and Sakura's just laughing maliciously like it was nothing._

_"Then what **do** you like, Sasuke?" _

_This time Sakura put her kunai back in its holster and leaned closer than necessary making her lips brush gently against his as she pinned both his hands in her own hand. With her left hand, she intentionally moved it slowly down his chest as he gave an involuntary shivered. She giggled lightly, moving her hand lower. _

'When did she get so seductive!' he thought nervously, unable to move.

_His body tensed up as her hand moved slowly in between his thighs giving him goose bumps. He felt her breath caressing his face as he tried not to breathe in her scent. Sakura moved her lips to kiss him lightly on the corner of his lips. She smiled when his lips twitched slightly against hers and moved to kiss along his jaw while returning to her earlier task. Sasuke, feeling her hand hand move higher and higher, decided that this had to end…right now._

'He can't last anymore…' Sakura inwardly chuckled.

_"Sakura, stop. That's enough. Now get off," Sasuke stoically, like it didn't effect him._

_She did as she was told, but was still straddling him and looked at him with innocent eyes. "Aww, Sasuke-kun, I was having so much fun!" she whined._

_"Yeah well, I wasn't. So get off and I mean it, too," he said uncaringly._

_Sakura didn't and just chuckled menacingly. "Sure," she leaned to his ear and whispered. "You liked it. I can tell, you can't lie to me no matter how hard you try. I'll always know."_

_With that, Sakura stood up and casually walked out and left Sasuke to dress._

_Present…_

"You're going to train with me since shishou won't let me train with her," she said nonchalantly, getting into a fighting stance.

Sasuke just stood there and stare at her like she was crazy. "That's all! You could've just told me that and we didn't have to get into that stupid fight this morning!"

Sakura smirked and then chuckled. "Yeah, whatever. You know you liked it."

She heard him grumbled while also getting into a stance and chuckled again. "You ready?"

"Duh!"

"Okay, then…let's start."

The both of them stood still, waiting for the other to start. After a while, Sasuke was the first one to start and made a move to punch her, but instead of scrunching in pain, Sakura turned into a log.

_'Dammit!'_

Sasuke quickly turned around but it was already too late. Sakura had already punched Sasuke square in the face, sending him across the field. While in the air Sasuke quickly made a flip and landed gracefully to the ground.

"Geez! Is that all you've got, Uchiha?" Sakura sneered.

Sasuke spit out the blood that was filling his mouth when he bit the inside of it. "Tch! Yeah, right! You were lucky! Next time I won't fall for that trick again!"

"Save your boastings for later!"

Sasuke growled deeply and started towards Sakura while making hand signs. He took a leap off the ground and a deep breath. "_Katon!_ _Housenka no Jutsu!" _Flames burned the area in which the kunoichi stood as she quickly jumped out of the way.

She moved towards the trees and created a bushin to attack Sasuke while she gathered chakra into her right fist and gave a hard thrust into the ground making a giant crater. The rocks and boulders flew up quickly then fell even faster as gravity took effect. They fell, hitting everything that was in their way. They fell around Sasuke making him collapse underneath.

After that, there was of a large screen of smoke which took seconds to clear. Looking in all directions, Sakura tried to locate where the boy had fallen but found no traces of him.

_"Katon! Gokkakyu no Jutsu!" _

A large of array of flames came towards her direction once more. She moved a little late, giving her minor burns on her leg as she easily healed them while in hiding. She panted heavily and fast, scanning the empty field again.

_'Where the hell is he!' _she hissed angrily, at the same time wincing as the wounds started to reopen themselves. _'Fuck! I'm bleeding all over the place and we barely even started!' _Looking around her, Sakura quickly took a leap on a large on a branch and started moving in a random direction. _'If he can't find, maybe I'll have some time to heal myself.'_

Though, it was really wishful thinking as Sasuke had already found her. Sakura was the least bit shocked when Sasuke found her so easily. But it wasn't what she really expected—the guy didn't even attack her, he just stare at her and turned away. Seeing this reaction from him made the girl infuriated.

"Why didn't you make your move!" she yelled as she limped pathetically in his direction. "You had an opening! Why didn't you take it!"

Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks causing Sakura to bump into him. He quickly turned around and glared at her with his Sharingan activated. "Look at you. Your wounds are bleeding, but you just act like you don't care. You don't even have that much chakra left!" he coldly and stocially that the tone made Sakura flinched. "Do you really want to die that much?"

"Iie," she grumbled, turning away from his intense gaze.

"Doushite?" Sasuke continued. "Why do you try so hard then?"

"The same way you do!" she finally responded. "I hate the feeling of being weak, okay!"

Sasuke blinked and took a step back when Sakura pushed her face towards his again—but it was mostly from shock. He watched as the girl in front of him looked at him with determined eyes. He thought she was going to start crying like she used to, but strangely enough, no tears were even shed.

Sasuke frowned, realizing now that the girl he thought that was still there was no longer alive. This girl was not the Sakura he knew when he was a child; she was not the girl he saw at the park; she wasn't even the girl he knew during the chunin exams. No, this Sakura is too different from the old Sakura. This Sakura was just like him.

She hid all her pain away somewhere deep in her heart where it couldn't be opened or reached. This Sakura was much colder and quieter than the old one. When she does talk, it is only to fool with people. She never shows her true feelings anymore. The old Haruno Sakura was dead.

Sakura sighed and turned to leave Sasuke, but not the field. Sasuke was about to follow her until she lifted her right hand that indicated she wanted to be alone. She didn't leave right away, but paused a for moment to get his permission.

"Fine, but be back soon," he replied to her unanswered question.

Then she left him to himself.

Unfortunately, Sasuke wasn't one to listen and take orders from others lightly. So instead of doing he was told, the guy followed her until he recognized the three tree posts. He smirked when he imagined Naruto being tied to one of them. Watching her, Sasuke saw Sakura approach the Memorial Stone and kneel in front of it.

He heard her sighed as she gazed and traced her parents' names. "Gomen, Kaa-san, Tou-san for not coming earlier. I would've come sooner but I had other things I had to take care of."

The wind blew the leaves off their branches making them swirl around the girl kneeling. Sakura inhaled deeply, appreciating the breeze that Mother Nature provided. The sound of just the air winding around her and the rushing water of the stream nearby was so comforting that she could just sit there forever.

"Well, as usual, Naruto's being the annoying guy he is, but he seemed to be depressed whenever I'm around, though." She sighed again. "Maybe that's all I do—I always make people sad or get them hurt."

Sasuke frowned as he listened to her words. _'That's not true.'_

"I'd better get going. I promise to visit you again when I have time." With that, she got up from her position and stretched, spreading her arms widely, only wincing when her wounds opened more.

_'Man, I really got to stop opening them or they'll never heal,' _she thought absentmindedly.

Sasuke saw her going back to where she supposedly left him and quickly made his way to the area. While waiting for her, Sasuke thought about how her parents die.

_'How did her parents die anyway?'_ He stood, thinking for a while until his eyes widen as realization dawned upon him. _'Those people I saw eight years ago...they didn't even look like Sakura. If they're not her real parents then what happened to the real ones? And what happened to her adoptive parents?'_

_Snap!_

The sound of a twig breaking in two distracted Sasuke from his discovery as Sakura emerged from the bushes. When she saw him, she gave him a small smile before walking ahead of him.

"Hey, you want to get some ramen?" she asked casually.

"Sure," he said, not paying attention, until Sakura stopped and made him bump into her. "What are you doing, Sakura?"

The girl lifted a row in skepticism. "You're not going looking like that, are you?"

Sasuke looked down at himself, finding nothing wrong. "Why?"

Sighing, Sakura placed a finger on her temple, massaging it to lessen the headache that was coming. "People will recognize you. You do realize that, don't you?"

"Oh, right. Hold on for a sec." Sasuke quickly transformed his looks as he did yesterday. He was back to being to dark-browned haired, blue-eyed fifteen year old who looked way older than he was supposed to be again.

"Wow! I don't even recognize you at all," she said impressed. So impressed, that she started circling him, examining his work. "You did a pretty good job, Uchiha."

Sasuke scoffed at her reaction. "It's not that hard, Haruno. Now stop circling like a freakin prize."

"Interesting, you would use those words," said Sakura as she chuckled darkly. "Come on, I'm hungry."

On their way to Ichiraku, something just hit Sakura like a rock as she stopped in the middle of the street. "Hey, why did everybody say you were my cousin yesterday?"

Sasuke glanced at the shorter girl for a second, and then realize what she was talking. "Oh, I was just doing stuff and you know people asked who I was, so I just told them you were my cousin."

"What!" she shouted, causing everyone on the street to give her a look of shock or they just thought she was crazy. "Now, people will come after me and you and—aww!"

The boy just stared blankly at her for a moment and after that just left her on the street before entered Ichiraku. He heard a 'matte' before hearing the ruffling sounds of the flaps of the stand move. The kunoichi noisily sat beside him as he gave his order to the owner while she did the same. While they waited, Sakura turned in her seat to give him a glare with Sasuke just sitting with his hands in front of his face.

"Take a picture, Haruno. It'll last longer," he said through his hands coldly.

The girl groaned in return and turned back and leaned her head on the counter. "Man, now people won't stop chasing us."

"Why?"

"Just look at you! You're good-looking so the girls will start chasing you!" she whined. "It's already bad enough that I attract attention, but since you said you're my cousin, those damn crazy people will know where we live!"

_'Aww, shit! Dammit, I didn't even think about that!' _Sasuke inwardly groaned when he finally figured out their situation. _'My luck just gets worse and worse! God just hates me!'_

Sakura took a quick glance at Sasuke and noticed his cringed face. "Hah! Now you realize! Took you fucking forever, stupid!"

Glaring at her, Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "Do not call me stupid, Haruno."

She snorted in response. "What makes you think that'll scare me!" she scoffed. "I mean, you couldn't even defend yourself this morning against me. So how will a little warning help, _Sasuke-kun_?"

"Shut up."

Their food was set in front of them as the owner said, "Enjoy your food!"

The sun rose high in the sky showing it was now noon. It was pretty hot that day considering there was also the strange humidity in the air. Everyone was in their shorts and tanks trying to find some way to cool off. Others dumped cold water on themselves, hoping that would work. Mostly the villagers decided to go to the beach. Why not? It was weathers like these that enable people to spend time together to catch up on things. There was always a lot of nice cool ocean breeze to cool you off, and the cold water, too.

Too bad, Sasuke and Sakura weren't those types of people. They'd prefer to stay under the shades of the trees in the park where Sasuke first laid eyes on the girl next to him, and just talk about things.

"So, how did you get the cursed seal on you, anyways?" Sakura asked nonchalantly. When she noticed his reluctance she rolled her eyes. "Fine, if you don't want to say anything, I won't force you."

Then she muttered something under her breath which Sasuke unfortunately caught and responded to.

"It's not like you're any better, Sakura," he said coldly. "I mean you a _big baby_, too."

He smirked as he heard her muttered more profanities. Sasuke suddenly sighed tiredly and watched as the clouds floated by. "When I had barely turned genin, my teammates…," he cringed at the term. "…and I was registered into the chunin exams by our sensei—,"

"Who was your sensei?"

"I don't remember," he lied. "But anyway, in the second part of the exam, our third teammate was knocked out by the man called Orochimaru. He was unconscious as me and my other teammate face the bastard. While she stood there watching me fight him, I could tell she wanted all of this to stop, but I couldn't. I wanted to prove myself that if I could face death in the eye and knowing that I did, I'd be able to face my brother. But just when I thought I got him, that bastard comes back up and paralyzes both of us. We were both stuck and were unable to move. And that's when it happened, right in front of her eyes. Orochimaru placed the damned curse on me. I don't remember what happened afterwards since the pain was truly excruciating. I never felt pain like that in my life before; it was like I was going to go crazy—like I was burning.

"Even after all we've been through, she helped me stay strong so that the seal wouldn't affect me anymore than it already had." Sasuke remembered the memory of when Sakura stopped the curse seal from taking over him. He could still her arms around him as if it occurred yesterday.

"Do you miss her?" Sakura asked suddenly. Though Sasuke thought he heard a bit of sadness in her tone.

He chuckled. "Somewhat," he said simply.

The girl frowned in confusion. "What do you mean 'somewhat?"

"That girl looks oddly like you and it is also annoying like you," he said with a small grin on his face as another image popped in his head. This time it was when Sakura tried to ask him out, but he refused. "But, she was nicer and more innocent not all tomboy like you."

He turned to give her a smirk that made her blush. Sakura quickly turned around so that he wouldn't see. _'Since when did you turn shy?'_

"I didn't know you were shy, especially what happened this morning," he sneered, now amused to see her blushing face.

"T-that was different!" she stuttered.

Sasuke chuckled, truly having fun teasing the girl who put her hair to shame with the blush. "Oh really? So if I were to do this, you would feel absolutely comfortable, then?"

He reached over to put his hand on the side of her side and forced her to look at him. Deliberately, Sasuke moved his hand agonizingly slow down her neck, letting it rest there as he moved his body closer to hers. "Is this still different?" he whispered softly and seductively in her ear. Knowing this would make her blush further, Sasuke slid his hand on the side of her breast, teasing her then put it right on her hip. As predicted, Sakura blushed and gave an involuntary shivered. The boy smirked as he used his free hand to move the girl slowly downward on the grass as he placed his body above her.

Using the hand that brought Sakura down, Sasuke supported himself so that he wouldn't crush her under his weight. "I won't hurt you, okay?" he said, only continuing when he felt her nodded. Gently, he placed his lips on the side of her neck, inhaling her spring scent. Placing soft butterfly kisses on her skin, Sasuke slowly moved his hand under her shirt to feel the smooth flesh. He moved his lips along her jaw to her chin when he went to her throat, making her lift her chin a bit higher to give him more room.

Her breathing began to pace faster and faster until his kisses became more passionate that she felt him nipping at her skin. Sakura kept her jaw clenched for fearing that if she relaxed more than she was supposed to she'd give him want he wanted. She felt him moved his hand out of her shirt to her zipper and started to unzipped it slower to make her impatient. Though she didn't want to give in, his teasing was making her feel something she never felt before. She is fifteen after all.

When Sasuke heard her groaned, he smirked and lifted his head a bit. "Do you want me to stop?" He watched as she shook her head vigorously. Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took, shivering just a bit. He saw underneath the shirt she wore was a regular net shirt that hugged her curves, defining them well. But since they were see through, he saw the bandages wrapped around her breasts to her abdomen. He frowned, remembering how much in pain she was. He suddenly felt warm, gentle touches on his face, and looked into her innocent green eyes.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" the look in her eyes reminded of when he left her before.

He nodded and just placed his ear on her heart. The action was so sudden that it surprised Sakura, but she made no move to push him off. "Is it her?"

"No, it's not her. Things…just change a lot when you're gone for a long time, you know" he said quietly. "I promise I won't ever hurt you, Sakura. I won't let you be alone again."

Sakura closed her eyes and sighed as she cradled Sasuke closer to her as if she'll lose him.

_'It's only been a day and a half, but why do I feel like this towards him already?' _she thought silently.

Sasuke closed his eyes in peace. _'I promise, Sakura, I won't make you cry anymore.'_

* * *

Hi! Winter's Holly here! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as I have writing it! So, oooohhhh, I wonder what's going to happen in the next chapter! Do you know? Cause I do! Haha! I'm sorry I won't do that again.

Otaku Rainbow: Stop doing that!

W.H.: Doing what!

O.R.: Stop yelling! You're burning my ears and making them bleed!

W.H.: What! You're yelling too!

O.R.: Oh shut up!

W.H.: goes in a corner and glooms You're always so mean to me. Some best friend you are.

O.R.: Tch! Remember what you said? You said you have no best friends, remember!

W.H.: That was on accident! Besides I was sugar high!

Naruto: Shut up already!

Sasuke and Sakura, well more like Sakura: yeah! Dammit, you loud ass people!

Sasuke: Oh well. turns to readers Check out her new story called "Gentle Illusions" It's supposed to be about me.

W.H.: No it's not! It's about you and Sakura, stupid! throws paper at Sasuke

Sasuke: stares at floating paper That's it?

W.H.: Leave me alone! It's not my fault I couldn't find something better!

Sakura: Oh yeah. There's a second version of Forget-Me-Not. It's called...wait for it, wait for it...suspense...more suspense...it's called...Forget-Me-Not II: Another Story! And, and it's Sasuke's version! Yeah! throws conffetti

W.H.: So yeah, I'll be making a different version of FMN. And thank you for reading and please please for your own sakes (and possibly mine) reviews so I can update! Just think, more reviews mean more updates and more updates mean more reading and more reading means you'll get lemons and limes and crying and all that good stuff!

Like I always say "Anime is the good stuff where everyone who wants to escape reality go watch or read!"

And please check out "Gentle Illusions" It's SasuSaku for those of you who loves them just as much as I do!

Sayonara! Please read and review!


	4. Chapter IV: Reminiscent

_Hello! Happy Turkey Day! (for me that's Thanksgiving for short)_

I'm so freakishly tired! Here's Chapter 4!

Sakura: Finally, you slow ass!

W.H.: Shut up!

Sakura: Make me! -sticks tongue at W.H.-

W.H.: -TT- Real mature

Sasuke: So anyways this chapter sucks cause it does

W.H.: Thanks. Makes me feel a lot better.

Naruto: It should cause it Thanksgiving!

W.H., Sasu., Saku.: O.O Where the hell did you come from?!

Naruto: What?

W.H.: Nevermind. -to readers- The poll for Itachi to be dead or living is still going on, okay? So give me your opinion on how his fate should be in your review!

Sasuke: Make him die! Make him die!

W.H.: Thanks to all of you review! Much love from me! This chapter sucks to me, but I've already got five done, so you won't have to wait so long this time! Naruto do the disclaimer!

Naruto: Alright, damn it! Geez! That freak does not, I repeat, does not own us! If she did...well...you already know!

_

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Chapter IV: Reminiscent

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Four days has passed since the incident in the park. Ever _since _that incident, Sasuke has been gone a lot and coming home late. When Sakura tried to talk to him, he would say he was tired and lay on the couch. In turn, Sakura would stare blankly at his back, and then go upstairs without another word. Somehow, though, today would turn out differently.

The front door closed quietly as Sasuke always entered the same quiet house. Usually the lights would be on, but tonight they were all off. The boy shrugged and was about to lie down when he noticed a figure there. His eyes widen and soften afterwards, realizing it was Sakura. Her body curled as her face was buried within the palms of her small hands. There was a small crack in the curtains, letting just enough moonlight to beam upon the sleeping beauty. Sasuke marveled at how innocent she looked—as if she were the same Sakura he knew from years past. He sat in the space provided—in the curve of her body—and place a hand tenderly on her face. Letting his thumb gently and affectionately across Sakura's soft lips, Sasuke felt his heart beat faster.

Lying down beside Sakura without taking his eyes off her and waking her up, he placed her in his arms. This feeling he felt was a feeling he haven't felt in years. It was the feeling he gave his mother, but this feeling felt a bit different. It wasn't like the kind of affection he would express to his mother, but it was more of a loving feeling he would've given to the woman he'd spend the rest of his life with. He realized just now that this was the second time he's been this close to her. Slowly, he felt himself leaning towards her lips as he brushed his against them softly. He closed his eyes and finally in eight years he was able to sleep peacefully.

-o0o-

The sun slowly rose from the horizon on the eastern outskirts of Konoha, drowning the dark blue sky with its rays coloring the sky a pinkish hue. The river rushed softly splashing droplets into the dew-covered grass. The cool fresh breeze of morning swept through the trees and the empty streets where every shinobi laid asleep in their houses peacefully.

On the other side of Konoha in a simple homey two-story house, laid two people in each other's arms on a sofa. One figure lay sleeping as he tightened his hold around the girl with cherry blossom-colored hair. As the sun gradually rises from the east, its rays shines through the transparent curtains, hitting the girl's face. Wincing, she opened her eyes to see the color blue in her face.

_'Blue?' _she thought, moving her gaze upward. A soft gasp escaped her pink lips as she stared at the boy in front of her.

Sakura watched as the sun danced its rays across Sasuke's calm, tranquil face. His expressions weren't hard or cold or covered in any mask of emotion—all that was there was this look of peace. It's been a while since she's been this close to Sasuke. It was also the first time she's seen him asleep as well. Sasuke looked more human in his sleep than when he's awake. There was no trace of worry or anxiety on his face.

Movements were felt beside her as Sakura quickly closes her eyes at the same Sasuke opened his. He blinked a couple of times to get the drowsiness out of his eyes and felt something warm in his arms. Glancing down he realized it was Sakura. His eyes lingered on her for a while until he decided to move slowly from underneath the kunoichi. Once he was off the couch, Sasuke started upstairs and began his morning routines. After a good fifteen minutes of freshening up, Sasuke went to Sakura's room. Making sure the door was shut tight, he transformed and jumped out the window and headed towards the forest.

Downstairs below, Sakura was looking out the window and saw Sasuke's figure. A blank look replaced that expression of sleepiness she put on so that Sasuke would think she was asleep. The bright, blinding orb rose high into the sky lighting up the village. Standing up while sighing, Sakura winced as the wound reopened a bit. She frowned at the blood seeping through the bandages and clicked her tongue. A knock on the front door was brought to her attention. It was Naruto.

"What do you want, Naruto?" she asked, irritated.

He blinked and lifted a brow. "What's gotten into you?"

The girl glared and groaned angrily. "Just answer the stupid question," said the girl through gritted teeth.

"Fine," he said, just as grumpy. "Can I come in?"

Sakura moved out of the way so the Kyuubi container may enter. They both went into her living room and sat opposite of each other. Sakura sat there with annoyed look on her face while Naruto observed her. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

_'She's getting paler' _his eyes wandered to her stomach, he winced. _'Her wounds won't heal either.'_

"How have you been, Sakura-chan?" he asked suddenly, watching her expressions.

Sakura sighed and leaned back on the sofa. "Fine, you? Did you find the person you were looking for?"

It was silence for a moment before he decided to speak. He cleared his throat and looked directly at the Hokage's apprentice. "That's exactly what I wanted to speak with you about, Sakura-chan. Have you seen Uchiha Sasuke around?" Silence. "Some people said that they had seen him from time to time a couple days ago. Do you know anything about this?"

The girl sat upright slowly and exhaled heavily. A few strands of hair covered her expression and shadowed her eyes.

"Is that why you came here for…" she muttered. "Does Tsunade suspect me of holding a criminal with me? To protect him?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, listening to the sarcasm in her voice. A malevolent chuckle was heard across as she gradually lifted her head. A cold, hard stare was given to the boy across her as he gave no reaction.

"Why would I do something like that, Naruto?" she inquired stoically. "Do I have any connection with Uchiha Sasuke?" Sakura looked painfully at her hands then at the wound on her body. "I keep seeing flashes of memories I've never seen before. I don't…even know if the parents who raised me are even my real parents."

The teen's eyes widen as he listened to his friend's words. _'She's starting to remember Sasuke? Then that must mean he's here with her.'_

Naruto sighed and stood abruptly, making Sakura look at him curiously. She watched as he opened her door. The boy paused and stared meaningfully at his friend.

"Sakura-chan, be careful and take of yourself," Naruto said quietly, staring at the trees outside the house. "Also, in the near future, whatever happens don't be angry at him and just forgive him." With that, Naruto left Sakura alone to contemplate the meaning behind his words.

_'What does he mean, 'don't be angry at him'? Is Sasuke going to do something bad?' _she thought, looking out the window as the breeze blew the leaves.

She didn't get it. What was Naruto talking about? What was Sasuke going to do that she'd be so angry that she wouldn't forgive him for? Sasuke isn't planning to use her to annihilate Konoha, is he?

Sakura shook her head of the nasty thoughts while getting up and sighed. _'That's absurd. Sasuke wouldn't betray me, would he?'_

-o0o-

Meanwhile, at the memorial stone stood Sasuke as he looked at his parents' names engraved on it. His eyes were blank and focused on nothing, looking into the distance. In his mind though, Sasuke was reminiscing his clan's tragedy and when he fought his older brother, Itachi, years ago.

He closed his in frustration. _'I couldn't beat my brother then, how am I supposed to beat him now? Even Naruto is so much stronger than me,' _he thought angrily, clenching his fists tightly until his thoughts drifted to his former female teammate. _'She's stronger now, too.'_

As Sasuke tilted his head to the sun to warm his face, a soft gust of wind blew through his raven locks. The trees rustled with the air while the water in the river splashed around the boulders and pebbles.

_'I love you more than anything!'_

His eyes snapped opened at the sudden flash of memory. Sasuke turned around to see if anyone was around, but there was no one. He looked at the stone once again before glaring at it. _'Why did I suddenly remember that for?'_ It was two years ago when he left, but he didn't need to remember _that _moment.

Sasuke was about to leave when Kakashi showed up. They both stopped in mid-step, gazing intensely at one another—one figuring the other out while the latter was hoping the opposite. Kakashi moved past Sasuke and stopped at the stone without saying a single word of acknowledgment. Just when he thought he was home free, Kakashi says the phrase he dreaded most: "You've returned."

Sasuke smirked, turning around—sighing as he did so—to face his former sensei while returning to his original form. "I should've known you'd figure out, Kakashi." After all, Kakashi _was_ his sensei and can't be fooled so easily with a meager transformation like that.

"Of course not. I'm not a Jounin for nothing. I'm not as dim-witted as you think I am nor are the others," Kakashi remarked nonchalantly. "So, how's life with the snake?"

The vein in his temple twitched. "Hn. Not as noisy, I'd say that much," he responded. "It's…different."

A moment of silence passed between them before Kakashi spoke again, breaking it.

"You changed, Sasuke," the silver-haired Jounin noted. "You talk more. Is it because of Sakura?"

Sasuke's head jerked up and stared at the man's back. He frowned as the words rang in his head and glared at the ground. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A half-hearted chuckle was heard from the man as Sasuke narrowed his eyes in his direction. "You may be good at lying about other matters, but you're horrible at lying when it comes to Sakura." Kakashi stopped laughing as soon as he heard a growl coming from the young Uchiha. He cleared his throat and decided to stopped this little chitchat and ask what he wanted.

"Did you come back for Sakura?" His back still facing Sasuke as he spoke. "Are you going to save her?" Right at this moment, Kakashi turned around until he was fully facing Sasuke. "What do you really want, Sasuke?"

Sasuke was now not feeling the mood to carry on this conversation any longer as now it was starting to pry on his patience. Kakashi, being the man who taught him and knows him the most, should know what he wants. How hard was it to figure out? All he wanted was to avenge his clan and restore it to its former glory. Hell, he even say that when they all first became a team!

Sasuke scoffed. "You should already know by now, Kakashi. Don't ask me such stupid questions."

The Copy-Eye Ninja just stared at his former student pitifully. Exhaling heavily, Kakashi tilted his head slightly to the left, watching the birds fly. "I mean, what is it that you _truly _want, Sasuke? Avenging your clan is something you say you _have_ to do, right?" Sasuke remained quiet. "Having to do something and wanting something are two completely opposite things. So…," Kakashi directed his gaze back to Sasuke, who was somewhat startled by the seriousness in his sensei's eyes. "What do you_ want_, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha blinked and looked at his hands thoughtfully. What did he really want? All his life he trained hard everyday so that when the time comes, he'll be able to face the murderer of his clan without feeling inferior. But when he does kill Itachi, what then? He has to restore his clan, yes, but it was going to be difficult. First, he'd had to fine a suitable woman to bear and raise his children—which wasn't that hard considering who he really wanted the girl to be. But the hard part was how he was going to get her to marry him if she didn't remember him or that she wanted to kill him? Sasuke frowned. He didn't want to use Sakura like that. No, not like that. She was already in a bad enough situation, he didn't want to drag her into more predicaments.

He sighed and closed his eyes. "I don't really know to tell you the truth."

The Jounin's eyes grew larger a bit at the answer he received. "Don't you want to rebuild your clan?"

"I do. But…"

"But?" the man inquired.

Sasuke glanced at Kakashi. "I won't nor do I want to force her to do anything she doesn't want to." And with that said, the boy swiftly turned around and put on his disguise before leaping off into the sky and disappearing.

Kakashi stood in the field, still staring at the place Sasuke once stood and turned to look at the memorial. He saw the name of the boy's parents and softened his intense glare. The man took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. _'He's really changed. I hope you'll be able to forgive him, Sakrua.'_

-o0o-

"Tch! Your wounds somehow refuses to heal," Tsunade muttered annoyingly. "Are you eating properly, Sakura? Did you get enough sleep last night?"

The kunoichi didn't respond.

"Sakura? Sakura!"

Finally, she blinked and looked at her surroundings with a bewildered expression. "Oh, Tsunade-sama! Gomen, but did you just say something?" she asked innocently.

The Hokage lifted a curious brow at her student and felt her forehead. It was a bit warm, but she was still worried. "Sakura, daijoubu? You just space out on me. Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

Sakura seemed to look uncertain herself as she glared at the floor. "Shishou?"

"Hmm?"

"Is it possible for you to have other people's memories?" she asked quietly.

Tsunade, who was in the middle of getting new bandages for Sakura, stopped to look shockingly surprised at her. She slowly faced the young medic with a worried expression upon her. "What…do you mean?"

Sakura started fidgeting with her fingers and stared at the invisible dirt on the newly waxed tiles. "Well, can you dream of memories that are not yours?"

The woman was now in front of Sakura as she tried to listen at what was being said. "What do you see in these 'memories'?"

"Um…there was this one I saw that I was on a rooftop watching a fight and…" she struggled to remember since they were so vague in her mind.

Tsunade urged her on to continue. "And…?"

"There was one attack that looked like an orb while the other was," she paused for a moment. "I think the other was sort of like an orb, but more like lightning."

The Godaime's eyes widen largely as she recognized the description. _'Chidori and Rasengan!'_

Tsunade quickly looked at Sakura. "Do you remember anything else?"

The kunoichi shook her head slowly, making the Godaime feel a little discouraged. "Iie. Unfortunately, that's all I really remember. Gomen."

"No, that's fine." Tsunade straightened up and went back to get the bandage she left on the counter and started to rewrap the girl's unhealing wounds. "There, all done. Now make sure you get plenty to eat and some sleep, okay?"

Sakura nodded as she hopped off the bed and exited the office. She gave a bow and waved goodbye to her sensei before leaving the building. When she was gone, Shizune came in with a stack of folders in hand and Tonton by her side. Shizune glanced at Tsunade for a second and noticed the worried look on her face.

"What's wrong, Tsunade-sama?" When Tsunade's like this, it always meant something was wrong or something's happening. "Did something happen?"

Tsunade looked at her slowly. "She's remembering."

-o0o-

Sakura stopped by Ichiraku to have some ramen and found Naruto there with Hinata and hung out with them for a while until was late and went home. The day seemed to go by so quickly today that it felt really strange to her. When she entered the house, a feeling was felt in the pit of her stomach the moment she stepped in. Frowning, Sakura wondered what it could be, but soon shook it off when Sasuke appeared.

"You're home, late," he stated, but then noticed the uncertainty written on her face. "You alright?"

Sakura snapped out of her daze and answered. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little head rush is all."

Sasuke lifted a brow suspiciously, but then shrugged it off. "Where'd you go today?" he asked, taking a seat at the couch while Sakura sat opposite of him in her big comfortable recliner.

She made herself comfortable first before she responded. "I had a checkup with Tsunade again today and I ate ramen with Naruto and Hinata afterwards." Sakura glanced in Sasuke's direction. "And what about you? Do anything fun?"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I went here and there, ran into a couple of people today."

Sakura lifted a lazy brow. "Really?"

"Hn."

She stretched and looked at the clock behind her. Standing up, Sakura gazed at Sasuke for a moment before giving him a smile and retreating upstairs. When she was gone, Sasuke went to turn off all the lights and lay on the couch. Hopefully, he could get some decent sleep tonight, instead of waking up screaming.

In her room, Sakura changed into her pajamas and settled into bed without any reading material tonight, considering she was super tired now. She laid on her right side, careful not to irritate the wound, and gazed at the stars through the open crack from her curtains.

It was strange how she suddenly had these weird memories. She never had them before until Sasuke came along. And the weird gut feeling in her stomach? What was that about? Whatever it was, she just hopes it get better tomorrow.

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However, little does she knows, that everything that's going on in her life is going to change very soon.

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Hey! You know I really didn't like this chapter very much for some reason. I finished it at 3:21 a.m. on Thanksgiving and finshed editing it at 3:41 a.m. I swear I wasn't so freakishly tired until now.

So yeah! I've finally got this chapter done! -yawns- Well I still want to know if you guys want Itachi dead or alive. So just put it in your review and get'll to them when I get to them. The poll will end when I get near the specific chapter, alright? Alright!

So Happy Thanksgiving!

Please review!

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


	5. Chapter V: A Day With You: Longing Wish

Yo! I HAVE RETURNED! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Yeah, so sorry for the late updated and really I have no excuse for that! I blame it all on writer's block, procastination, school, job, and THE WICKED, EVIL FLU! Dude, seriously, never, ever,ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER GET THE FLU! IT'S THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE! It sucked cause I had the flu two times in a row! Outrageous, isn't it? Well, I'm really sorry for such a long update, but I'll TRY not to do that again. But while I was away, I read the funniest fic ever! It's called "Welcome to the Real World" by hakujou-no-sakeme. If you love humor and to laugh your ass off, go and read his stuff. It's too hilarious!

Also, I liked to thank those who kept with the story. Thank you very much!

Aiyo Rei

heartlessoul

Uchiha Sasume

Inulover4eva

SakuraUchiha4

Bunny123

Ninaleoliona

VcChick

Ur2tRoUbLeSoMe90

Gaara's Cherry blossom

Kaydreams

Belinda

kazumi kyoshira

Confuzzled239

BuBbLe GuM cHeRry

Otaku-rainbow (evil best friend, but I still love you!)

And there are also those who put me on their alerts and favorites, thanks! But do please try to leave me more reviews! I'm in a really good mood right now since I finally finished Chapter V! Holy shit! It took forever! So in this chapter, I remember saying that Sasuke was going to leave, but that isn't the case anymore. I thought it was too soon for that to happen, so held it off. In this chapter, what it contains it what I like to call a 'flimuff'. A cross-breed between a fluff and a lime! Flimuff!

Summary: Sasuke and Sakura dream of memories of their past-One of their childhood, the other a nightmare. But when they spend the morning together, they realize they need each other more than they thought.

Chapter V: A Day With You: Longing Wish

By: Winter's Holly

_Drip!_

_Drip!_

_Drip!_

_Those were the sounds that were constantly ringing loudly in her ears ever since they brought her there. Screams of pain and agony echoed through the halls outside of the dank, sweat-and-blood smelling cells. Rats skittered across her paralyzed, chained legs while she made no reaction towards it. The clothes on her body was worn and torn from many torture sessions. She kneeled on the dirty water around her half of her body hanging forward due to the chains on her wrists. The room was surrounded by darkness and emptiness._

_Creak!_

_The thick bolted door that kept her trapped in the cursed room opened slowly, revealing a thin stream of dim light from the outside. A silhouette of _that _man was, so far, the only thing she was able to depict while the person behind him, she did not know who he was. Though, his face was shadowed by the darkness, his golden eyes still shone brightly._

"_How are you feeling now, dear child?" he asked with such malice and vehement._

_The girl did not respond for she did not have the strength left to do so._

_The man snickered at her pathetic-ness and muttered something to the other someone. After a few seconds, that person left the man and the girl alone. Silence soon embedded itself in the room as the man slowly strolled to the half-dead child._

"_Sakura-chan? Are you still here?" Pale, skinny fingers gently lifted Sakura's face while she stared at him blankly. "Oh, come now. We didn't hurt you that much during your stay here, did we?"_

_No response came from the girl, just softly muttered words, some of which the man caught. A brow lifted in amusement when he heard the name she called out. He chuckled, slightly getting Sakura's attention. _

"_Him? Do you think he'll save you? He has chosen a path for revenge. He is so consumed by the hatred of his brother that he doesn't even realize you are here," he whispered, bringing her face closer to his with a sadistic smile etched on his face. "He'll never come back, Sakura-chan, just like your family."_

_Sakura glared maliciously at the man and spat on him. "Orochimaru, you bastard!" Sakura started to struggle pulling the chains off the wall with enormous strength due to her training with Tsunade, but the pain came back once more. Her body crumpled in agony._

_Orochimaru laughed lightly at her attempts and stood before her. "You're just like Tsunade. It looks like history will repeat itself!" the snake cackled. "You're going to fail just like her as well. She couldn't save her loved ones. What makes you think you can?"_

_With that, he left Sakura in the dark cell groaning and moaning in pain._

-o0o-

The wind rattled the shutters outside the window as the howling gust rang throughout the almost soundless house. The water droplets from the bathroom sink fell repetitively making the girl in the bedroom next door grow restless with each passing minute. Her body shook violently as her nightmare continued on. Suddenly Sakura's eyes snapped open abruptly as she sprang forward. Sweat dripped along the side of her cheek while perspiration soaked through the clothing she wore. Her breathing flowed unevenly and erratically for the moment when Sakura quickly searched her surrounding area. She breathed a sigh of relief, finally realizing where she was.

'_What was that?' _she shivered lightly, but not because of the wind. _'Why was I chained to a wall? What the hell what happen to me?!'_

Sakura glanced shakily outside her window to a downpour gradually descending its way to Konoha. The leaves flew off the tree branches swiftly without leaving any sign of their existence. Her face twisted in a pained and confused expression as she tried to decipher the meaning of her dream.

-o0o-

_Six Days Past…_

It was dark and silent in Otogakure. The houses were wrecked and empty while the streets had no sign of life. The air was dirty and unbreathable that if any animal were to come by, it would die instantly. The smell of blood and sweat surrounded the village as rats and scavengers search land and air for something dead and decay to eat.

Somewhere along the boundaries of Otogakure by the entrance gates were rows of buildings; the roofs were broken and falling apart while the windows had jagged edges; the doors and shudders came off their hinges and had missing pieces; the whole entire woodwork of the buildings were destroyed: they had holes in the walls large enough for a person crawl through and take refuge. All of the buildings were small except for the last one that was two stories high. It was old like the other buildings; time taking its toll on the paint. Though this house wasn't so much empty; faint yellow lights shone up close.

Inside, the hallways were lined with broken or empty frames. The carpet was worn from being walked on so much and filled with dust. Each step taken made the floor boards underneath creak or collapse under such heavy weight. The doors to the room remained close and the room itself unseen. Where as everything else was dark in the house, the only light-lit room was the one at the end of the hallway. Voices were heard on the other side of the door; one sounded like a snake, sly, and full of deceit while the other was young, clever, and sharp-minded.

"Kabuto, Sasuke-kun has arrived, has he not?" said Orochimaru quietly as he gazed at the pale yellow moon.

In the corner of the room stood the said young man as he stepped forward into the path of the moonlight. Some rays glinted sharply off the lens of his glasses when he pushed on the bridge.

"He has, but Sakura-san took him in when he was badly injured," Kabuto stated matter-of-factly.

A soft chuckled was heard across the room while the third Sannin smiled maliciously. "Excellent. Everything's going according to plan." The medic shifted slightly, catching the man's eye. "What is it?"

Kabuto narrowed his eyes, then smirked and gazed at the glowing orb. "I saw something very interesting when I went to see if Sasuke-san made it to Konoha…" Orochimaru lifted a brow. "…It seems when Sakura-san found Sasuke-san, it didn't look like as if she remembered him. She didn't even react when his name was spoken like she had two years ago."

A large, devilish grin started to slowly form right when Kabuto was through explaining his observation. Then an evil cackle broke out from his lips. "This is even better news! Ha! The girl will fall in love with Sasuke-kun again, but what will happen when her memories will be regained? Do you know, Kabuto?" he asked with delighted excitement.

Kabuto chuckled with less humor than his master when he answered. "Hell."

"Exactly. We will finally bring Konoha down and its all thanks to that child," he breathed with happy malevolent. "Make sure Sasuke-kun brings the girl's memories back. If he doesn't, then you do it."

The medic nodded obediently and turned to leave.

"Oh and Kabuto?" The boy turned back. Orochimaru smiled a devious smile. "When you make her remember, make her remember _everything._"

"Hai." With that, Kabuto turned and left the room silently while Orochimaru went back to gaze at the moon. _'What will you do when she remembers, Sasuke-kun?'_

-o0o-

Somewhere in a remote area in the Fire Country was the hidden Akatsuki base. On the very same night with the pale moon two members of the organization have returned. They were greeted by the "artistic" member of the group, Deidara, loudly as he made his way towards them.

"So how did your mission go? Did you find the Jinchuuriki, yeah?" he asked enthusiastically.

"No," Itachi said flatly and coldly, moving around him so he could go to his room.

"Move, Deidara!" said Kisame loudly.

Deidara smirked and crossed his arms in arrogance. "I guess you guys haven't heard the news yet, did you?" he said cockily, but then noticed Itachi's frozen movements and grinned wider.

"What news?" he said threateningly, glowering him with the sharingan.

He smirked. "Not only did the Kyuubi container returned to Konoha, but your younger brother as well," he answered, looking smug now.

His brows lifted in curiosity. "Really?" He looked around him for a certain person. "Where's Sasori?"

When the puppet master was mentioned, Deidara immediately rolled his eyes and shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, he just got himself killed by that pink-haired girl when we fought with the Jinchuuriki."

Itachi's expression immediately changed to a frown. "Pink hair?"

He nodded, now confused with his change of mood. "Yeah. She's the Godaime's apprentice. Why?"

For a moment, his eyes looked angry until he blinked and a cool look replaced it. "It's nothing."

Deidara frowned for a moment, but shook off the odd feeling. Kisame went to catch up beside Itachi and stayed silent until they got to the room. Kisame closed the door quietly behind him and waiting for Itachi to start speaking.

"What is it, Itachi?" he asked impatiently.

The said young man blinked and glared at his partner like he just disturbed him in his thoughts. "Nothing," he said quickly.

Though, Kisame thought otherwise. "Deidara said something about a pink hair girl and then you just go angry. That's not 'nothing.'"

The corner of his lips fought the urged to smirk as he replied. "No, it's just some unfinished business, that's all. No need to worry."

'_She's still alive and is now the Hokage's apprentice. Getting to the kyuubi would be more difficult now,' _Itachi thought absentmindedly. _'And Sasuke is also back in Konoha as well…' _Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on his face.

-o0o-

The rain grew heavier now as Sasuke lay peacefully on the couch, for once not screaming or anything of the sort. An expression of calmness and serenity spread across his face as the dream in his mind's eye comforted him.

_Tak!_

_Tak!_

_Tak!_

_Sasuke was seven years old when he strolled through his house, lost in his thoughts that concerned his nisan and otousan. He turned a corner to his left and kept walking until another person came from the room ahead of him. His eyes lifted at the person and looked curiously at him. It was Itachi. His brother passed him without any acknowledgement as Sasuke moved his gaze to follow his brother. Then his father came from the corner just turned out of and was heading towards his brother. His body began to tense up from the heavy atmosphere between his nisan and father. Slowly the elder son and his father passed each other with no words of exchange. When Itachi disappeared on the other side, Sasuke relaxed. _

_Fugaku stopped a few feet from Sasuke as his son looked tentatively at him. "Ohayo, Otou-san," he greeted a tiny hint of a blush._

_The father stared at his son for a moment before replying back. "Ah, ohayo," Fugaku said gruffly. He gazed at his youngest son as if searching for something. "Sasuke. How is everything going at the Academy?"_

_Said boy looked up in surprise that his father would even ask something of him. "It's boring being in class all the time since I'm always first," he said uncaringly._

_The sound of the water in the near by pond filled in the silence as Fugaku beckoned Sasuke to follow him. It was a very nice day—not too sunny, not too cloudy. It was perfect. Fugaku and Sasuke were now standing on the deck of the lake where his father performed the jutsu._

"_Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" A large fireball appeared over the lake, making waves form from its strong force which was created by the Uchiha patriarch._

_Sasuke stood back with a look of disbelief as he protected himself with his arms. The force of the jutsu made a strong gust of wind blow around the father and son as it slowly disappeared._

'_Sugoi!' Sasuke thought, amazed by the power._

_Once the flames were gone, Fugaku turned only half of his body to speak to Sasuke. "This is the Uchiha's basic ninjutsu. The seals to release it are like I just showed you," he stated, without removing his eyes from his son. "You concentrate your chakra and stop it at your chest, and finally release it all at once." Then he faced his son fully. "Try it out."_

_Sasuke blinked and gave a determined nodded. "Hai!" Stepping forward, he made the following hand signs his otousan just made. 'Otousan is personally teaching me how to use a technique. I'm finally being recognized by Otousan.' Taking a deep breath, Sasuke did like his father said and gathered all of his chakra to his chest…_

'_I have to meet his expectations…' Finally, after gathering the chakra, he released the jutsu. 'I can! Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!' Sadly, though he made the blaze of fire, it wasn't big enough nor did it held very long. _

_Fugaku gave a tired sighed and said wryly, "As I thought, you can't do it as well as Itachi could. It might have been too early for you." Then he turned and left Sasuke by himself feeling sad that he disappointed his father again. As Fugaku walked away, Sasuke could only stare at his back while his father's earlier words rang in his ears._

'_In the Uchiha clan, once you learn to use Katon, you're recognized as having come of age.'_

_Later, still by the deck, Sasuke kept training the same jutsu over and over again, but he still came out with the same result. _

'_The Uchiha family crest means "one who has a fan capable of controlling fire.'_

"_Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" the boy shouted as another tiny blaze of fire escaped his mouth. When it was gone, he panted and huffed, trying to catch his breath. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood straight, more determined more and more. "Kuso! Again! Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!"_

_The Next Day…_

_Sasuke was by the lake once more, with more strength left to use for the jutsu. He moved forward and gazed fiercely at the lake. 'Today I will…' Taking another deep breath, he released the jutsu and the blaze slowly grew larger. "Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!'_

-o0o-

_Later that day Sasuke was going to head for the lake again when his mother stopped him. "Sasuke. Chotto matte," she said, walking towards him._

_Sasuke stopped walking and looked at his mother with an irritated expression. "Nani?" he asked roughly._

_Mikoto kneeled down to his level and started to rub ointment on his red cheeks. When she was done, gave him a cheeky smile._

"_What?" he asked, turning away shy._

_But Mikoto wasn't done. She was fishing for something in her pocket when she found it. "Don't move," she said softly as she gently placed the band-aid on her youngest son's cheeks. Mikoto gave a bright grin. "There. All done!" she replied cheerfully._

_The birds chirped lively as they landed in the pond in the yard to drink out of it. The wind softly blew the strands of hair of both mother and son as they stood in the peaceful quietness._

"_Kaasan," Sasuke called her quietly._

_His mother tilted her tilted to the side, indicating she heard her son. "Hmm?"_

_Sasuke shook his head and gave her a small smile. "Never mind." _

_Mikoto frowned. "Okay then." With that, Sasuke ran off towards the lake once more while his mother watches him. When he was gone, her carefree expression turned into a face of worry._

_The moon was high in the sky as the stars filled up the empty space beside it. Below on earth though was a seven year old training late yet, again._

"_Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" A giant fireball escaped from his lips and lasted longer than it had the first time. Sasuke supported his body by placing his hands on his knees as he remembered Fugaku's words from a week ago. 'As I thought, you can't do it as well as Itachi could.' Sasuke twitched at the memory. 'It might have been too early for you.'_

_He shook his head as if pushing the thought away. "Not yet. Not yet," the boy said, not willing to give up. Gathering the chakra to his chest again, Sasuke performed the jutsu. "Damn it! Again! Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!"_

-o0o-

_It was now morning as Fugaku did his early morning rounds around the house. He was about to turn a corner when a voice called out to him. Stopping, Fugaku turned around to see Sasuke running towards him._

"_Otousan! Once more…" he panted. "Please come with me once more."_

_Fugaku sighed and turned fully to his youngest son. "It's still too early for you," he stated sternly. "Teaching you again after just one week isn't…"_

_Sasuke looked down and responded quietly. "That's not it."_

_The Uchiha patriarch stared with raised brows at his son in skepticism._

"_I got the knack of the technique, so I wanted you to see it," the little boy explained._

_Fugaku gazed thoughtfully at Sasuke and noticed the band-aid on his face. Finally giving in, both the son and father went to the lake. Sasuke took a slow and deep breath and began making the hand signs required as his father watches. 'Failure will be unforgivable.'_

"_Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" the boy unleashed the blaze from his mouth as it formed into a giant fireball that lasted for at least five minutes. Fugaku watched in amazement as his son mastered the jutsu. When it was gone, Sasuke faced his father, expecting him to be happy, but he just walks away. Sasuke dropped his head and sighed. _

_His father stopped a few feet away from him as he spoke the words the boy always wanted to hear: "You are my son, indeed," he said formally as his son stared at him in surprise. "Well. From now on, be true to the family crest on your back. Refine yourself and fly high."_

_For the first time, Sasuke was able to smile brightly. "Hai!"_

_Before walking off, Fugaku added, "Also, there's one thing I will tell you," he turned to Sasuke. "Don't chase after your brother anymore." With that, he left Sasuke baffled by his words._

_A couple of days passed while Sasuke sat at the table eating lunch, and Mikoto washing the dishes. It was very quiet between them until Sasuke spoke. "Okaasan."_

_Mikoto stops washing the dishes and faces Sasuke with a questioning glance._

"_I wonder what Tousan really thinks about Nisan and me," he said quietly, not looking at her._

_She blinked and stared curiously at her son who looked so much like her. "What's wrong all of a sudden?" she asked as she tries her hands and went over to stand beside her son._

_Sasuke lowers his face so that his dark hair blocked his expression from his mother. "The other day, Tousan said, 'You are my son, indeed.' He used to only say that to Nisan, so I was really happy."_

_Mikoto listened intently and understood what he was trying to say and smiled softly at him. "Really? That's great."_

"_But lately, Nisan and Tousan haven't been on good terms, so…"_

_His mother frowned in confusion._

"_Maybe I'm just…Nisan's replacement," Sasuke whispered._

_Mikoto sighed and gave Sasuke a meaningful stare. "Your nisan is your nisan. You are you. Your tousan always think about the both of you," she explained._

_Though Sasuke didn't really agree as he snaps his head angrily at his mother. "Then why does he only look at Nisan?!"_

"_That's not true. Your tousan has to protect the Uchiha clan as a clan representative."_

_His brows furrowed in confusion, trying to registered what Mikoto was trying to say. "What does that mean?"_

_Mikoto smiled at her son. "Itachi is just bigger and older than you. That's all. Since he is, he has to do missions for the clan, right?" The boy blinked a couple of times still confused. "Your tousan is a manager for these missions, so it may be that he can't help but look at Itachi."_

_The seven year old looked away, still unconvinced by his mother's words. As Mikoto took a seat beside Sasuke, she said quietly, "Just between you and me…" Sasuke quickly glances at his mother as she points to herself with a sheepish grin. "…When he's alone with me, your tousan only talks about you."_

_Sasuke's eyes widen as a light blush appeared on his pale cheeks._

_His mother giggled as she explained more. "Though, he always looks mad and isn't very good at expressing his feelings."_

_The little Sasuke looks down happy and satisfied with his mother's words._

-o0o-

_Stomp!_

_Stomp!_

_Stomp!_

Dark eyebrows furrowed at the loud stomping sounds coming from the stairs as eyelids opened to revealed onyx orbs. Squinting, Sasuke slowly turned his head to the direction to see Sakura stomping down the stairs again with a vein pulsing at her temple. But today seemed different; Sakura come down not muttering profanities like she normally does and she was moving slower than usual. Sasuke sat up and followed her movements with narrowed, suspicious eyes.

And that's when she suddenly collapsed.

Sasuke quickly ran to the kitchen and caught Sakura before she could hit the ground. He kneeled while turning girl around, so that she was situated on his lap. There was a light sheen of sweat covering her face when Sasuke felt her forehead. He twitched. He never felt her this hot before. Lifting Sakura as he stood, Sasuke started for the stairs until the doorbell rang.

The Uchiha froze, eyes widening in slight panic. The door rang for a few more times until Sasuke could hear a familiar voice on the other side.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled loudly. "You home?"

"Of course not, you baka!" Ino said angrily. "If she doesn't answers, that means she's not home!"

Sasuke inwardly groaned and rolled his, but he was relieved though. What annoyed him really was their stupidity. Seriously, how dumb could they get? He brought his attention back to the door and listened to them argue until the two blondes decided to leave.

'_Finally!' _Sasuke thought exasperatedly.

"Let's just go, Naruto. Sakura probably went somewhere again," Ino said with a hint of disapproval in her tone.

"Fine," the boy mumbled and soon their footsteps was heard, the sounds of their stepping slowly disappearing in the rain. When rain was the only sound left, Sasuke sighed heavily.

Opening his eyes, Sasuke stared at the girl in his arms and carried her upstairs. Gently he placed Sakura on the bed and then he went to the bathroom to get a bowl of hot water and a washcloth. Setting them quietly on the nightstand, the teen dipped the washcloth into the basin and wrung the water from the towel. While cleaning her face, Sasuke noticed the rings of purple below Sakura's eyes. He closed his eyes in tiredness and rubbed his temples to ease the headache.

"Hmm…" A groan was heard beside him when Sasuke looked up to see Sakura regaining consciousness.

Sakura felt her head throb painfully as she tried to sit up, but a gentle, yet firm pressure pushed her back down. She glanced over to her left to see Sasuke staring back at her with a blank expression on his face. Closing her eyes and turning back to the ceiling, she spoke.

"What time is it?" she asked, her voice cracking painfully. She reached up to feel her throat.

Sasuke glimpsed at the clock on the nightstand. "It's just barely turned seven," he answered quietly. "How are you feeling?"

The girl turned her body to face him, but still kept her eyes closed. "My head feels like someone pounded it with a hammer," she croaked. "Sasuke, can you get my medicine in the cabinet in the bathroom."

Sasuke nodded and went into the bathroom. "What does it look like?" he called, searching through the cabinet. "Is it the big brown bottle?"

"Yes!" He heard her answer from the room. Sasuke took only two pills from the bottle, but when he went back to the room, he went downstairs instead and got water from the tank. Entering the room again, Sasuke sat beside the bed and handed the girl the pills. Sakura sat up slowly and drained the medicine in one gulp. While watching her, Sasuke just noticed the attire she was wearing was only a large white t-shirt and the rest was just bare skin.

"Sasuke?" Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder and shook him lightly. "You okay?"

He blinked and shook his head and turned away from her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered. His eyes lingered over her form and saw Sakura clutching her sides. "We need to change your bandages."

"What?"

"We need to clean your wounds, too. Come on; take off your shirt so I could help," Sasuke responded in his usual monotone voice.

Sakura snapped her head in his direction in shock and embarrassment. "I'm not going to be undressing in front of you! Besides, I can clean the wounds myself. I don't need your help," she said stubbornly.

Sasuke sighed. "Sakura, I won't do anything. I'm just going to help you, that's all. I promise," he said in his gentlest tone. Sakura look at his eyes to see that he really is being sincere and earnest. "Come, we'll go in the bathroom, okay?"

The girl lowered her head, her shaking fists holding tightly on the blanket. Sasuke frowned a bit. Even though he knew the Sakura he remembered will possibly never come back again, he couldn't help but feel that that wasn't true. Deep inside, he really hoped that Sakura would come back. He knew that the chances were high that she might not forgive when she regained her memories, but he'd take those chances just to see her smiling and happy again.

When she was going to look up again, Sakura found herself embraced tightly in Sasuke's arms. What she felt was something different; his hug felt desperate and filled with pain and sorrow. She didn't know why, but she felt the same sadness as well when she returned his embrace. As she buried her face in the crook of his neck, she felt his lips moving against her collarbone, whispering words she barely heard.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Sasuke whispered his arms tighten around her small body. "I'm sorry for everything."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. _'Sorry for what?' _Sakura thought. _'Why are you apologizing, Sasuke? Why are you so sad around me all the time?'_

They held onto each other for a moment longer until Sasuke broke the embrace with a sad look on his face. Sakura held his face in both of her hands gently, trying to understand his pain.

"Don't be sad, Sasuke-kun," she whispered sadly. "I'm here with you." Sasuke's eyes closed as he leaned into her touch. In his mind, he could see the day when they became genin.

"_Kakashi-sensei, Naruto come on!" Sakura yelled as she dragged the two of them in the middle of the field. "Now, you go here and"—she stopped and looked around as if searching for someone. When she found him, she smiled brightly._

"_There you are, Sasuke-kun!" she shouted, excited. Sakura quickly ran to the tree the boy was occupied under and bend over him and smiled. _

"_Oi Sakura-chan! We can forget Sasuke-teme!" screamed a blonde across the field. "He'll just ruin the photos!"_

_A vein popped on her forehead as she tried to ignore the comment. "Come on, Sasuke-kun. It's just a picture so we won't forget. It wouldn't be right with only three people, would it?"_

_Sasuke opened his eyes in irritation as he eyed the girl hovering above him. "Fine," he grunted as he stood up and strolled to the others waiting for him. He stood on Kakashi's right while Naruto on the left and Sakura right in the middle._

_After the picture was taken two days ago, Sakura came running towards them, waving as she came. "The pictures are here!" she yelled. "Look! They turned out great! Though it would've been better if Sasuke-kun and Naruto smiled."_

"_Oh well, at least it was a nice day, right?" Kakashi suggested trying to lift his only female student's mood and it did._

"_Yeah, you're right," she answered, smiling as always._

_Later, at the end of the day, Sakura and Sasuke were the only ones left in the field. Sasuke was sitting at the base of the tree while Sakura was standing on one of the large branches. He had his eyes closed, but wasn't sleeping only enjoying the nice breeze and warmth the afternoon brought. He heard the girl above him sighing happily. _

"_I hope we'll be like this forever," she said contently, but Sasuke thought he could hear a bit of sadness in her tone. "Don't you, Sasuke-kun?"_

_Sasuke looked up to see Sakura gazing down at him from where she stood. "Not everything can last forever, you know," he responded coldly, but soon regretted his words. _

_Sakura lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I know, but wouldn't it be better if it had? I know we're only twelve, but…"_

"_But what?" he urged her softly._

"_What if we never have this moment anymore? What if everything changes?" she said quietly. "I don't…I don't want anything between us to change."_

_Sasuke turned his gaze to the setting sun with a thoughtful look etched on his face. "Time has to move on, Sakura. We're only humans. There's nothing we can do about it, but live through each day at a time." His voice was calm and solemn, but when he glanced at her again, he had a smirk on. "Right?"_

_The pink-haired girl chuckled softly at his sudden change of attitude and smiled gently. "Right."_

Sasuke opened his eyes to see Sakura's bright green ones staring into his.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Hn," Sasuke muttered, while shaking his head. He gave Sakura a reassured glance and smiled sadly. "Come on; we need to get you cleaned up."

The girl nodded and followed him into the bathroom. "Okay."

When she went in, she saw Sasuke bent over the bathtub to feel if the water was hot enough or not. Closing the door quietly, she moved slowly behind Sasuke and wrapped her arms around his torso. The boy froze and tried to pry her hands off, but she just grabbed his hands in her own.

"Sakura—" he started, but Sakura interrupted him.

"Sasuke-kun, I'll always be by your side," she said, closing her eyes. "You know that, right?"

Sasuke stared at their intertwined hands. Gently squeezing them, he turned around and grabbed her shoulders. Onyx gazed into jade as jade stared back at their onyx counterparts. "I know you'll always be my side, but I can't be with you."

"Why?" she asked quietly, trying to keep in the sob that was going to escape her throat.

"I've been here for far too long already," he explained. "If I stay any longer, you're going to get hurt. And I won't let that happen." Sasuke let go of her shoulders and sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "When you're done, tell me, alright? I'll be in the next room."

As he headed towards the door, a hand grabbed his arm. Sasuke turned around to see Sakura have a blank look on her face, but he could still see the pain in them. "What is it?"

She looked down, covering her face with her pink locks as she tried to hide the blush unsuccessfully. "W-will you…?"

The Uchiha lifted his brows in confusion. "Will I what?" he asked curiously, now fully facing her. "Sakura?"

"Will you be with me?" she murmured, but he heard perfectly.

He blinked and looked at the shower and back at the girl and back again. Soon realization came as a light flush appeared on his face. "You mean…" Sakura nodded. The girl before shifted nervously as she waited for him to answer her request. "Sure."

The both of them undressed slowly, but when Sakura took off her bandages, she automatically covered them up and quickly went into the hot shower. When she heard the other person come in afterwards, she instinctively blushed harder and tighten her arms. But Sakura soon relaxed her rigid pose when Sasuke's arms wrapped themselves around her petite body.

"Let me see," he murmured against her wet skin. Her will crumbled to pieces when his hands gently unlocked her arms. As he turned her around, Sakura buried her face in his chest with her arms covering her chest again. "Sakura?"

"I…I don't want you to see my scars," she whimpered. "They're ugly."

Sasuke chuckled and hugged her, placing his cheek on her hair as the warmth of the water soothe them. "I don't care. You're Sakura. There's nothing a few scars could do to change that." Putting his palm on the side of her cheek, he lifted her face so he could see. Her hair was now a darker shade of pink, her face flushed from the temperature of the water or his words, he couldn't tell. Her skin pale skin glistened as the droplets of water covered every inch of her body. But what memorized him the most was not her body, but the brightness of her eyes. Despite the pain he could see in them, they were still so beautiful. Slowly, his eyes drifted closed as he lowered his lips to hers.

Her eyes widen at the action, but soon closed as well as she responded.

It was the first time in six days that they actually kissed. Ever since what happened in the park, it seemed like they were trying to avoid each other.

Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck as his lips kissed along the line of her jaw and to her neck. Her fingers tangled in his dark hair while Sasuke tighten his grip around her waist, bringing her body close to his. Both of their hearts pounded into a jagged, uneven rhythm as their breathing became pants. When she felt his lips brush along her collarbone near the wound, she gasped.

Hearing this, Sasuke looked up to see what was wrong. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked softly.

She shook her head and closed her eyes tightly with a half-hearted smile. "No, it's not that," Sakura answered quietly that it was hard for the boy to hear over the rushing sound of the water.

"Then what?"

When Sakura gazed at Sasuke with the same expression he saw on her face two years ago, he almost though she'd come back. But that was only wishful thinking. Sakura can never come back. She was gone forever.

As the two stood in silence, the hot water pounded on them while the steam drifted to the ceiling. Sakura stepped closer to the pale boy, cautiously not to alarm him in anyway, and took one of his hands and placed it on her heart just on the end of the wound. Sasuke blinked at the sudden action, and looked at her small hand atop his. He saw his finger at the wound's end and followed up to where he kissed her on the collarbone. He avoided looking there again by moving his gaze downward only to notice the second wound on her right side.

"Sasuke-kun," she called out, making Sasuke look back at her. "Ever since you came into my life, strange things have happened to me. All these memories I'm suddenly having, people being more cautious around me more…I don't know why but, they always seemed so insignificant to me when you're here. But what happened in the park five days ago wouldn't leave my mind. And when you would leave during the day, I'd always get worried," she gave a humorless chuckle as she leaned on his chest. "You were the first one to see me in this state and this isn't the first time, is it?"—Sasuke flinched when he remembered that day— "I knew you were there, Sasuke-kun, hiding behind the trees."

Sasuke pushed her back to see her face as he demanded, "Then why didn't you say something?"

She shook her head again, this time trying to struggle to get out of his grasp. "I don't why I did the things I did, but…," she gave an intense gaze "…But, I think I'm in love with you, Sasuke-kun," Sakura finally whispered quietly, bowing her head as if ashamed of her confession.

Sasuke stared wide-eyed at the small girl in front of him as if he'd been punched. _'This wasn't so supposed to happen,' _he thought, his body shivering involuntarily. _'She wasn't supposed to fall in love with me again.' _Abruptly, Sasuke stepped out of the shower and left the bathroom.

Confused and hurt by his actions, Sakura quickly turned off the water and ran after him. She saw him standing by the bed, water dripping from his body onto the floor. But with the puddle of water left on the ground and in her haste to get to Sasuke, she slipped and fell into him, making the both of them fall on the mattress. The moment they fell, Sakura immediately trapped Sasuke's hand and pinned him beneath her, not caring if they're both naked or not.

"Why did you just leave like that?!" she murmured painfully, as she stared into his dark pools of onyx.

Sasuke turned away, not wanting to see her expression as he said this. "We're not supposed to be even together, Sakura," Sasuke whispered. "You're a respected ninja of Konoha and I'm a wanted, missing nin."

"So what?! Why does it matter who we are or what our status is?!"

His eyes snapped angrily at her making her loosen her grip. Using that to his advantage, Sasuke flipped their position so that Sakura was now on bottom. "Don't make this any harder than it already is, Sakura," he said through gritted teeth. "It's bad that I'm here in Konoha in your house, but even worse when I realize that I'm also putting you in a lot of danger!" He tried to calm his anger, slowly breathing in and out evenly.

"Nande?" Sasuke quickly looked up to see Sakura closing her eyes tight to stop the onslaught of tears. "Doushite? Is it because of that girl?"—his brows furrowed— "…Or is it because you don't feel the same I do? Sasuke-kun?" The girl was going to say one more thing when she felt his lips at the corner of her eye, kissing away her tears. She opened her eyes; surprised, letting the tears finally escape.

"It's none of those reasons," he finally whispered. Sasuke stared at her for a moment longer before moving off of her. But right when he was on the edge of the bed, getting ready to get off, Sakura grabbed his shoulder. He stopped and waited for her to cover herself and let her speak.

She sighed. "Can you just sleep here with me then?"

Sakura felt his eyes linger on her a long time, but she felt the bed shifted slightly, indicating that he was going to stay with her. "Sure."

She lifted her head and smile brightly as she started to cry again. "Arigatou, Sasuke-kun." Sasuke moved under the blankets, getting comfortable and waited for Sakura to lay down with him. She quickly laid her head on his chest and hugged him tightly around the torso while Sasuke covered them with the blanket, and afterwards wrapped his arm at her waist. Though it was still raining outside, the two laid peacefully in each others' arms sleeping.

So do you like? This was the longest chapter I've ever written by hand! Freakin thirty something pages long! Back and FRONT! Whew! Well, when I check for the number of votes for Itachi's life for live or die, well it looked like this:

"Itachi's cool and all, but he should die."

"I've never liked him. He should DIE!"

"Just let him die!"

-Sighs- Poor guy gets no love at all. -shakes head- Yep, no love indeed. So keep on voting if you want Itachi to live or die!

Currently, I'm writing part two to 'A Day With You'. It's called, of course, 'A Day With You', but with 'Deep Awakening' instead of 'Longing Wish'. Yeah!

So review and be good and stay out of jail, you potheads!


	6. Chapter VI: A Day With You II

YO! WOO! LET'S CELEBRATE RIGHT NOW!! BRING OUT THE BEER AND SNACKS AND ALL THAT STUFF THEY HAVE AT PARTIES OR WHATEVER IT IS! YOU KNOW WHAT SCREW THE BEER, IT'S TOO NASTY! LET'S HAVE ORANGE JUICE WITH TEAM 7 INSTEAD!

YOU GUYS SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF ME RIGHT NOW! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER UPDATED THIS QUICK! WOO! LET'S GO TO DISNEYLAND! YEAH AND WE'LL GO TO _DISNEYWORLD _NEXT! HA! BEAT THAT! OH MY GOD! I JUST WANT TO RUN AROUND IN CIRCLES AND JUMP INTO AN ICY RIVER, SCREAMING MY LUNGS OUT IN JOY!

Well, you get the point! LOL! It's exciting. I just want to thank my readers, I love you guys so much I wish I could meet you in real life and hug you to death! , ! But I **am **disappointed that I didn't get that much reviews as I would've liked! Oh well, since I'm in a good mood, yet again, I'll let it slide this time! But next I'll make you wait more that just four months! You hear me?! No, no. I'm not that mean, I'm lovable. But seriously, more reviews or I'll send my mutant vegetables after you and let the King of Hamsters rule you! Hahahaha!

Personally, I hate this chapter with a passion. I'm not going to lie. This chapter was the fastest cause I hated it so badly. It was so painful to write. -sniffle- I swear I just wanted to die as I wrote this, though there were some moments I did appreciate. You're going to hate me for this chapter, I know it. I can just see you guys glaring at the screen, cursing me to my death.

But I had to do what I had to, to get to the next scene of the story. I think this fic has approximately 15 scenes to go through. So yeah! I betcha you won't be able to find out what they are. But, but I'll tell you the first and the NEXT scene. So the first scene was kind of obvious, it was Konoha. That's the first one. And the second scene of the story is mostly Sakura's time in the 'No Name Village'. There's a reason why it's called that. Don't think cause I didn't know what to call it. There is a very legitimate reason for it, but you could only find out in the next chapters. For now, read this one.

Summary: Now that Sakura has declared her love yet AGAIN, what will Sasuke do? Will he stay or will he leave? And who does he meet after such along seperation?

Thanks for reading! Be good, stay out of jail, you dodos! And if you can't, just keep running until the cops catch ya! That's always fun! Right, Sam?!

* * *

Chapter VI: A Day With You II- Deep Awakening

By: Winter's Holly

The rain continued to fall throughout the rest of the morning and still showed no sign that it will cease. Today was such a sad day for most of the villagers who were always so used to the bright sunny days of Spring; now you could only see them for such a certain amount of time. No one was on the usually busy streets. All were inside watching as the rain fall on and the rest of the day dragged on.

Sasuke was on these people, but he wasn't so much as depressed as they were. In fact, he found the rain very pleasant. You could say that her habits rubbed off on him. She liked the rain, too. It was always because of her—why he started to like things he never used to before. It was because of her that he liked cherry blossoms; that he was always ignoring others; because he left Konoha. It was because of her that he was able to survive this long and not lose his sanity during the past two and a half years.

Some movement was felt beside him as Sakura turned to her side with her slender back facing him. Sasuke stared at her figure for a moment before sliding next to her to cover her with the blanket and giving a gentle brush of his lips on her shoulder. Afterwards, he got up quietly and dressed. Before closing the door, Sasuke grabbed an umbrella and left into the rain.

-o0o-

The rain continued to fall on this dreary Sunday afternoon of April 8th as people rushed past Sasuke to get home. All Sasuke had on to cover his face was a cap that you usually see newspaper boys would wear when they hand out paper. He didn't even bother to change his appearance this time. It would've been too much of a hassle…Or troublesome as Shikamaru would have called it. He scoffed recalling the memories he had of Shikamaru who always said everything was troublesome. Those were the good old days. When they were genin they had nothing to worry about, just boring easy D-ranked missions. Their lives weren't so complicated then as they were now. Sasuke sighed. _'Yeah, nothing to worry about,' _he thought melancholically. _'Life was so much easier and happier when we were kids.' _Sasuke was so out of it; he didn't really watch where he was going so bumped into a person, knocking them over instead of himself.

-o0o-

"Oof! Oww that hurt!" Tenten whined as she massaged her now wet bum. She was about to get up when a hand shot out and grabbed her arm—roughly pulling her up while doing so. "You know, you could be a little bit nicer!"

But immediately, she froze as the man passed her. The atmosphere seemed to feel tense and the air heavier. It was almost as if she couldn't breathe like his very presence was smothering her. She could even feel such strong bloodlust radiating from him, yet also a deep disturbance growing inside him. It was only for a couple of seconds, but it felt so much longer than that.

Then it was over.

The man had gone already and Tenten was left by herself, wondering what that strange feeling was. She turned to look back at him, seeing his figure slowly disappearing in the mist. She noticed his hair was really black and that his skin was pale. It almost reminded her of _him. _The girl shook her head of the crazy thoughts and was going to look at the man again, but he was already gone out of sight.

_'It was probably my imagination playing tricks on me again,' _Tenten thought to reassure herself, but she couldn't help but feel that it was actually _him _she bumped into.

A few minutes later, Tenten arrived at the Yamanaka Flower Shop. The store was quiet and empty and the only sound heard was the rain outside. Ino's family ran a small business that sells flowers and usually have lots of customers, but the rain only made it go by slow. The Weapon Mistress walked up to the counter to find no one there and so press on the bell and waited. A minute passed and still no one came. Out of pure boredom, Tenten just kept on hitting the bell until a voice shouted from upstairs.

"Alright, alright! I'm coming! Hold your horses!" shouted Ino loudly as she came through the little doorway. "Sorry to keep you waiting. How may I—?"

"You should know better than to leave a shop unattended, Ino," Tenten interrupted as she gave the blonde a smirk.

Ino crossed her arms and gave a childish pout as she responded. "It's not my fault if I haven't gotten any customers today! It's all this damn rain that's slowing business down!"

The other girl chuckled in return. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Yamanaka. Do you think you have time today?"

Curious, Ino loosened her glare. "I might. Why? Did you need something?"

Tenten shook her head. "No, I just wanted to talk. But if you're busy, we can talk some other time. Though I really recommend that we talk as soon as possible," she said slowly and meaningfully. "If you get what I mean."

Ino immediately understood and nodded. "Kaasan, can you watch the shop for a while?! I have something I need to do!"

"Sure, honey!" her mother answered from upstairs. "Just be back soon! I heard it's going to come down real hard later!"

"Hai!" Ino quickly grabbed her raincoat and left with Tenten. They went to a little hut just a couple of ways from Ichiraku and sat a random table and waited until a waitress came.

"Evening. What would you like to order, ladies?" she asked politely.

Ino spoke up first. "I don't think I want anything big today, so I'll just have some dango and oshiruko," she ordered as the woman nodded and wrote it down. Ino turned to looked at Tenten. "What about you, Tenten? Are you going to eat?"

She shook her head. "No, I'll just have some hot tea. Thank you," she said to the waitress and the lady left.

"Not hungry?" Ino questioned.

"No, I ate earlier," Tenten answered.

After that none of them spoke for a long while until the same waitress came back with their orders. She set it down gently so it wouldn't be so loud as Tenten smiled and gave word of appreciation. "Enjoy!" the waitress said cheerfully as she left.

While Tenten poured herself some steaming tea, Ino eyed her carefully taking a bit of her dango. When she waited for the girl to finish drinking, she glanced over the girl's shoulder to watch the rain fall. Ino sighed. _'This day reminds of the day when Sakura came back two years ago. Poor girl…'_

"Ino!" Tenten said loudly, shaking the girl's shoulder to get her attention.

Ino blinked and quickly replied, "Yeah, what?"

Tenten sighed loudly and heavily as she shook her head at her friend's actions. "Geez, Ino! Sometimes I wonder about you," she stated exasperatedly, still shaking her head.

"Shut up!" Ino retorted. "So? What did you want to talk about?" And that started the silence all over again that the blonde couldn't take it anymore. She was going to screamed when Tenten spoke up.

"Do you remember when the guys said that the person they were pursuing might have been long gone already?" she said quietly, staring into her cup that was nearly empty.

"Yeah, I remember," Ino answered just as quiet. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Well, wasn't that the same day that Sakura started to act strangely?"

Ino started to get confused. "Yes, but I don't see why that has to do with anything with what we're talking about."

"Okay, maybe this can clarify things for you." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Earlier on my way to the shop, I bumped into someone. And you know he helped me up, but was definitely rude and I was going to tell him off…"she strayed off.

"What happened? Tenten, what happened after that?" Ino urged softly.

"But when he passed me, even though, I didn't see his face…I felt such an intense urge to kill coming from him. I never felt anything like it. I felt like it was smashing me down. But…there was this other feeling, too. I can't describe it! It's too confusing!" Tenten started to get frustrated as she clenched her fists tightly.

"Calm down, Tenten," Ino said, trying to soothe her friend. "So what you're saying that _he's _here in Konoha, right?"

"Probably. I mean I saw the guy's feature from behind. He had really black hair and white skin, but I can't be too sure. What if it was just a mistake? But then, there's that, too," she started to now mutter to herself.

"What are you talking about, Tenten? I don't get what you mean."

Tenten looked up hesitantly and gazed around to see if anyone was listening. When there was no one, she moved closer and started whispering. "You remember when Sakura was suddenly acting strange, right?"—Ino nodded—"Well, that was the same day when Sakura's cousin showed up, right? Didn't you think that was a little suspicious? I mean, why did he suddenly decided to check up on his cousin now instead of two years ago when all of this happened?"

She stopped and let Ino absorb the information and watched her friend's reaction. It went from confusion and frustration to slowly realizing what Tenten had meant. Ino blinked her eyes shut and opened them quickly and stared at Tenten in alarmed shock.

"Wait, so that means Sakura's cousin and the guy you bumped into could be the same person?!" the blonde squealed as Tenten shushed her.

"Be quiet! Somebody'll hear you!"

"But…but that means…"Ino stuttered.

Tenten shook her head. "We can't make such an assumption or everyone'll panic. We'll have to talk to Tsunade-sama about it right now."

Ino nodded and they two stood and paid at the counter and left to the tower. This was really something neither had expected. If he really is here in Konoha, then has Sakura been lying this whole time? They'll find out soon enough.

-o0o-

Sasuke finally slowed his pace and continued towards his destination to the training grounds. He's been going there a lot lately, he noted. There are a lot of memories here for him even if they were the annoying ones. It was either here or the other place which he didn't really want to think about the moment. So he chose the former. The Uchiha stopped when he was about two feet away from the memorial. Earlier, he'd bought some flowers to place on the stone for his parents and made sure that the cashier didn't see him.

The rain continued to fall heavily around Konoha and making it mistier than it had ever been. This was probably one of the worst rains they ever had. Never before did they have a rain storm that lasted this long. The air was getting more and more humid and unbearable. All the people ever heard for the past seven days was the rain falling.

Meanwhile at home, Sakura woke up feeling at all groggy. Her body ached from the cold and shivered. Glancing to her right she noticed the window all fogged up. Covering her entire body to keep the warmth in and only leaving her head out, Sakura moved off the bed carefully and went to the window and rubbed an area so she could peer through. The rain was gradually getting higher now, filling the streets with water. She sighed and turned around to notice the bed empty.

_'Sasuke-kun left again,' _she thought absentmindedly as she strolled to her bathroom. Looking into the mirror, she saw something rather interesting that made her eyes widen and a dark blush covering her face. There, right at the base of her neck, on her pale skin, was a dark red bruise-like mark made by Sasuke. Just thinking about it, made the memories of that moment come rushing back to her at the same time making her dizzy. Sakura quickly sat on the edge of the bathtub and breathe in deeply and slowly and exhale noisily. Dropping her head into her hands, Sakura tried to get rid of her blush by thinking of something else, but it only returned when her mind wandered back to the memory.

_'I can't believe I didn't notice that earlier,' _Sakura thought, now starting to feel embarrassed.

**_'Yeah, me either. You sure don't notice anything when things between you and him get—,'_**

Sakura's eyes suddenly twitch violently when she recognized that tone of voice. It was really something she wished hadn't come back. It only made things worse for her when she was a child.

_'Please, please, pleeeeaaaasssseeeee' _she sobbed pathetically, now starting to feel all the energy she had left being drained by this menace. _'Please, tell me it's not what I think it is. PLEASE!'_

_**'Oh, how rude! Of course it's what you think it is! It's me, your inner self, Inner Sakura! Aren't you happy to see me? Well, technically, you can't see me and you could only hear, but you know what I mean!' **_Inner Sakura shouted jovially.

Sakura groaned as loudly as she could; now wishing she was deaf. "Oh my GOD! Somebody just kill me right now!" the girl screamed as she begged on her knees with her hands raise to the ceiling. "GOD JUST KILL ME AND KNOCK ME OUT OF MY MISERY!" She was so distracted by the 'misery' she didn't notice the sound of the door slamming downstairs.

-o0o-

Sasuke walked up to the porch and unlocked the door, feeling more annoyed than ever until he heard a familiar voice screaming upstairs. All the thoughts he had in his head before disappeared in a second.

"GOD JUST KILL ME AND KNOCK ME OUT OF MY MISERY!"

Only a twitching right eye was his reaction to the statement he heard. Before he had any chance to do anything else, more screaming was heard from Sakura.

"I thought I shoved you into a box! What the hell?! How you'd get out?!"

"ARGH! JUST SHUT UP!"

Some more swearing was heard and even more cries of agony as well. Sasuke quickly ran upstairs when it suddenly became quiet and banged into the room to see a still not dressed Sakura hitting herself with a book. He immediately stopped at the same time Sakura did as they stared at each other. One feeling a burning anxiety to run away fast and the other feeling extremely embarrassed and angry.

3…2…1…

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

"W-Wait! It's NOT what you think! Sakura! OW!"

_SLAM!_

Sakura slammed the door of the bathroom loudly without locking it, but just sank to the floor and covered herself with the blanket she dropped earlier. She brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them as she leaned her head against her arms in exhaustion. _'I never felt so embarrassed in my life.' _She sighed depressingly. _'Man, this sucks.'_

Sasuke stood on the other side of the door, leaning his back against the door with arms crossed and head lowered with his face now blank. He gazed silently around the room, noticing how everything was scattered and disoriented. Remembering that Sakura was still nude, Sasuke went to the drawer to look for her some clothes to wear. He just got Sakura her gray tank and sweats along with her undergarments as well. He didn't blush as he grabbed these unlike other men. Uchiha Sasuke is, after all, a gentleman.

Then, he walked back to the bathroom where the girl still hid. "Sakura, I'm going to come in." He heard a grumble on the other side and assumed that it was okay to go in. Cautiously, he made his way in and saw the pink-haired kunoichi sulking beside the tub. She didn't even look his way when he stood next to her, so he just left her clothes there and left.

When Sasuke closed the door quietly with a soft click, Sakura eyed the door coldly, then at the clothes. She sighed and gave a tired smile and started to dress herself. While dressing, Sakura heard some shuffling outside and was curious as to what Sasuke was doing. Quickly pulling on her tank top, Sakura threw open the door and noticed that the room was clean again. There was not a single thing misplaced or missed. The floor was spotless as if nothing had ever happen. Her green eyes moved to the bed and found Sasuke sitting on the edge with his hands clasped together and elbows on his knees with his face behind his hands, staring out of the window and into the rain. He seemed to be in deep thought that he didn't even notice her sit beside him until she touched his shoulder.

Instead of looking at her—which she found disturbing and rude, Sasuke said, "Yes?"

The girl frowned and leaned forward to get a better look of his face. "You okay? You look as if something's bothering you. Care to tell?"

Sasuke shook his head no and moved so that he was lying on the bed correctly with hands behind his head and closed his eyes. "It's nothing for you to worry about."

Sakura pouted for a moment, but then her expression turned into worry. "Are you sure, Sasuke-kun? You're not lying to me, are you?" she asked quietly.

As if sensing her anxiety, Sasuke opened one eye and saw her clenching her fists tightly. Now having both eyes open, Sasuke observed her figure meticulously. His eyes narrowed, taking note of the changes he noticed. Sakura was skinnier and paler as if she haven't been eating. But he saw her eat; he made sure she ate something throughout the day, so that's pretty strange right there. And another was her wound. Why won't they ever heal? Didn't she say they were from a previous mission a month ago? Shouldn't they have healed already? Sure they _looked _new, but it seems she was used to them as if they were there for a while now. But the most important thing he noticed was her chakra. When he first saw her again, he could barely sense her. Though she looked fine that time, it looked like he couldn't sense her presence at all until he could see her. But, now, he couldn't feel any chakra flow coming from her at all. That made him worry. If she didn't have any chakra left, she could die and he wouldn't let that happen. But he doesn't know what's the cause of her loss of chakra is. If he didn't find out soon, he'll be too late.

"Sasuke-kun?! Sasuke-kun!" Sakura waved a hand in his face for a couples minutes, but the boy didn't respond so she shook him as hard as she could. That didn't work so she did the only thing she thought of: she punched him. If the nice and easy way didn't work, do it the hard, mean way.

Being way in deep thought, Sasuke forgot where he was. So when Sakura punched him painfully in the cheek, it reminded him of the time he was training with Orochimaru. Activating his Sharingan, Sasuke swiftly and quickly took out his kunai from the holster that was strapped to his right leg and pinned Sakura underneath him with the kunai right at her throat, knocking both to the floor.

Sakura gasped, making the kunai cut her a little bit as the blood fell down her neck onto the floor with a drip. Being pinned with a weapon at her throat left her no room to do anything, but to stare at Sasuke in shock and fear.

"Who are you?" she managed to say hoarsely after she got her voice back. "You're not the Sasuke I know."

Getting his focus back, the Uchiha noticed what he was doing and stiffly dropped the kunai next to the girl's head. Sasuke moved off the girl and ran fast to get away from Sakura, but she called out to him.

"What the hell's wrong with you?! Huh?!" she demanded. "Is there something I don't know?! Tell me! Why are you here?!"

Sasuke snapped his head at her in frustration. "You tell me! I don't even know what I'm even doing anymore! Ever since I came here, all I ever did was nonsense! This whole damn string of **annoyances **forced on me! This mission, this fuckin place, and worst of all, YOU! Why is it always YOU?! You're everywhere I go! You, this insignificant girl, why do you have to be the same fuckin person I left two years ago?! You're always interfering with everything I do! WHY?! Why can't you just leave me the hell alone?!"

He panted from yelling so loud. And when Sasuke looked at her to see her face, he immediately felt a pang in his chest and regretted his actions. Sakura had all the color drained from her face and looked like she was going to faint. Sasuke was going to say something else, but held it in. Giving her one last look, he took off down the stairs and outside with a slam of the door. With that, Sakura finally let out the air she was holding and collapsed to the floor.

-o0o-

His breathing became rapid as he rushed past people like a blur in the rain. The water felt like it was burning his skin since it was so cold now. The thunder rumbled loudly that the ground was shaking and some windows could be heard rattling. The lightning cracked at the same time as another onslaught of thunder came. The sky was as dark as can be. Like an infinite darkness. All the street lights flickered on, though it was only now six twenty-three in the evening. The wind blew violently on the trees that were threatening to fall if pushed any farther from their roots.

The boy ran and ran until he was on the other side of the village and out of breath. He slowed to a staggering pace, supporting himself with the brick wall next to him. It was now harder to breathe considering how frigid the air is. His legs kept on moving and bringing him to a place he didn't recognize until he had reached a gate and fell on the cold wet ground. Just lying there and letting his body get pelted by the icy cold needles, his lifeless eyes stared off into the distance through the gates. There was something about this place he recognized as if hidden in his memories. Squinting, Sasuke saw a flash of his memory of when how he would used to run home after training when he was seven. Slowly bringing himself up with shaking arms, Sasuke grab hold of one of the iron bars and stood. He pushed on the gates to get inside, but it wouldn't open. Looking down he noticed a giant chain wrapping itself on the gates with a large padlock the size of his fist. Glaring at the thing, Sasuke just decided to jump over it and walked down the abandon street of the district. Looking around him, he found some familiarities in these buildings and realized that this was his home, the Uchiha district of Konoha.

Sasuke took his time as he walked through the streets of his childhood. Everything felt like déjà vu for him. How the rain poured down heavily, him walking the streets feeling hopeless. This was like the day he walked the district with nobody around him. It was so empty and so lonely. There was nothing that lived here anymore. Just memories, very painful memories. When Sasuke reached his old house, he stood in the middle of the road and stared at the ground for a long while. He just stood, still and quiet, gazing at his reflection in the puddles of water surrounding him. Suddenly remembering something in particular, Sasuke gazed at the wall to his right and saw that the crack made by Itachi was still there, untouched by time. The crack was made in the middle of the painted paper fan. All of the colors were now dulled by the all of the weather that occurred. The whole district seemed so ancient, so deserted, and so quiet now. Beyond recognition to his eyes.

Sasuke turned away from the wall to look at his house instead. The color has also faded here. The house was dark and silent with no life in it. It was almost creepy and eerie that it sent chills to his back. It made his skin crawl just thinking about what happened in the house. It was like a house of death. With that, Sasuke decided it was time to leave and not linger any longer. Besides, it felt like he was in one of his nightmares again. He quickly vanished in a puff of smoke and reappeared in front of his old apartment.

_'I know I left the spare key somewhere,' _the guy thought as he felt under the eave. Finding what he wanted, Sasuke smirked. _'Heh, still there.'_

Unlocking the door, he was surprised to see the place still clean and the same the way he left it two years ago. Though, it had dust on the furniture and such. It also had that distinct scent you'd smell when you came back to an old place. _'Hmm, it looked bigger back then,' _Sasuke thought absentmindedly as he dropped onto his bed with a thump. While laying on his stomach, Sasuke's mind wandered off to the event that happened during his walk.

_Two Hours Earlier…_

_While the rain fell endlessly, Sasuke stood like a statue towering over the memorial. The sky grew darker and darker by the minute, but he took no note of it. Though, he was not alone. Someone else was also with him for just a little bit. Finally noticing the familiar presence and odd chakra, Sasuke gave a quick glimpse to his left to make sure it was the person he thought it was. He smirked when he recognized the person beside him. It was odd to see an old friend again especially if he was like a brother to you. In Sasuke's case, the guy was. They fought like hell, but they had a special bond that was as precious as much as it was painful._

_"Naruto," he spoke as if addressing a subordinate which irked the blonde, but he kept his jaw clenched tight._

_"Sasuke," Naruto replied coldly. _

_A moment of silence passed between them, daring each of them to speak. No, none of them will speak unless one of them does._

_Sighing and wanting to get his answers, Sasuke broke the silent contest and spoke first. "How long?" he demanded, staring straight ahead._

_"The second day," Naruto answered also looked ahead. But then, he grimaced and faced Sasuke. "Nobody knows you're here except for me, Kakashi-sensei, and Tsunade."_

_"How did you know I was still here?" Sasuke asked, now curious to hear what his ex-teammate had to say._

_Naruto looked at Sasuke for a long time before answering. "When Sakura-chan came to look for you, she seemed a bit happier when I saw her. I mean, she was still cold, but it's just the way she acted that made me suspect something. And when you came by earlier to talk to Lee, the way you talked and how blunt you were…Well, of course, it immediately reminded me of you," he grinned sheepishly while Sasuke rolled his eyes. "But, I had to be sure that you were in Konoha, so I checked on Sakura-chan when I had the chance and I was right. That night, I left Ichiraku and went to Sakura-chan's house and guess what I saw. I saw you entering the house while returning to your original form." Naruto gave Sasuke a hard slap on the shoulder and snickered. "That was stupid. You shouldn't have done that when the door's still wide open. And I here I thought you were the smart one. I guess I was wrong! Hahaha!" He said jokingly as if nothing that happened during the past years ever occurred._

_Sasuke groaned in annoyance. "Oh, shut up, dobe!" the raven-haired shinobi growled._

_"Alright, alright! No need to use such vulgar language, Teme!" he laughed while Sasuke clicked his tongue in response. When Naruto was done laughing, he sighed and gazed at the sky. "Wow, it's weird, isn't it?"_

_The Uchiha lifted a brow in confusion. "What are you talking about?" he asked stoically._

_"The three of us in Konoha together again," Naruto answered contently. "Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to fight each other in the future? I mean, I still want a rematch, but not kill you and—,"_

_"I get the point!" Sasuke yelled, a vein pulsing at his temple. "But, yeah, it would be nice."_

_The Kyuubi container smiled at his old friend, but suddenly grinned deviously which Sasuke caught. "Nani?"_

_A sly look crossed his face as he giggled dementedly. "So, you and Sakura, huh? Man, I hope you guys haven't done anything naughty while Kakashi-sensei and I were away, have you?"_

_The said teen's face paled and his eyes widen from the random change of subject. "W-what?! You're crazy, Naruto, you know that?!"_

_"Mm-hmm," he answered as he turned back to watch the rain fall. "But seriously, Sakura-chan's in love with you still. She may not remember, but it's still there."_

_Sasuke blinked, surprised by what Naruto said. He glared at him and snapped his head in another direction to avoid looking at him. "Tch! I don't know what you're talking about!"_

_"I think you do, Sasuke. Kakashi told me he noticed some changes in you and I believe him. You're not the same Sasuke we used to know. Do you have any feelings for her?"_

_"Why would I? She's just an annoying girl," he answered cold-heartedly, but his expression said otherwise._

_Naruto observed Sasuke for a moment and saw that his hands were clenched and shaking. He smiled sadly as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You're in love with her, man. You know it, but there's something you should know. If Sakura-chan ever does recover, she'll kill you," he looked up when he felt Sasuke stiffened. "But that's not the worst part of it, no. The worst part is that she might die. Think about that, Sasuke. If you don't help, that's what'll happen."_

_With that, he slid his hand off and backed away from Sasuke, allowing him to see his face. Naruto gave a smile before he leapt off into the air, leaving Sasuke something to ponder about. The wind whipped around his face as he processed the new info._

_Present…_

His fingers twitched and Sasuke closed his eyes, clicking his tongue in irritation. He turned his face into the blankets and groaned loudly. Flipping himself around, Sasuke sighed and stared at the ceiling, thinking about the current situation.

_'She's going to die if I don't help her. But what am I supposed to do?!' _he thought angrily.

_You're in love with her…_

Looking out the window, Sasuke thought about Naruto's words for a while. The thought made him so furious that when he held his fists tighter, they started to bleed. Finally noticing, he frowned at the blood flowing from his hands. _'I…I'm not in love with her. I can't be…can I?' _As he watched the rain fall, that question came repeatedly over and over in his mind.

* * *

Haha! I told you you'd hate it! What now! But don't worry everything's going to be fine. Okay I'm lying. I should stop, shouldn't I? Nah! It's fun teasing you guys! LOL!

I got more votes for Itachi to die. Poor guy...so sad! Tch! Dude, you're going to need a new job! They hate you!

Itachi: What?! They hate me?!

Me: Yeah! They say you molest your little brother too much!

Sasuke: Yeah! What the hell?! Or you gay or something?!

Itachi: -looks in other direction-

Sasuke: -wide eyes- OMG! And I worshipped you, MAN! You didn't stick anything up my ass when we were kids, did you?! OMG! Did you take those naked pictures of me?! You did, didn't you?! MOMMY! -runs away screaming like a baby-

Me and Itachi: O.O?

Me: -T.T- You know, that was mean.

Itachi: -looks over with a smirk- Yeah, but it was funny, huh?

Me: LMAO! Yeah, it was! Haha! Poor guy! But still it was rude, Itachi. Go apologize.

Itachi: Awww! I don't want to!

Me: Go!

Itachi: Fine -walks off-

Silence

-AAAAHHHHHH-

Me: ...T.T

Itachi: -comes back laughing- That was funny!

Me: You're fired!

Itachi: What?! You can't fired me! Somebody out here must want me alive!

Me: -checks- Nope...oh wait...there is!

Itachi: Ha! Bullya!

Me: It's only Otakurainbow. That's it. The rest wants you dead!

Itachi: Aaawww...poor me.

Orochimaru: Can I take his place?!

Me: NO! Get back to work!

-grumbles and cries in background-

Now that that's out of the way. Yes, the votes will keep going until I say so. Sam, the dude's gonna die. But I'll just keep the poll going to humor you! Now you go at it for 20 rounds in 10 minutes! See how that feels you ass!

Sorry, responding to best friend! Well, the next chapter will be called Complications which is going to take a longer time to write considering the many situations that's going to take place. So please be patient with me, that's all I ask. Well now really. I want reviews people! Come on! Pick up the pace! Move it! Move it! Move it! Seriously, just give me reviews and I'll be happy. If you don't, I'll just assume you're a lazy ass person!


	7. Chapter VII: Complications

YO! Whoo! I am BACK! Yep! I liked this chapter! It was good, well to me anyways! LOL! You know I could have updated this earlier, but I was too lazy to edit and I had a research paper to work on! But hey at least it was fast, right? Somewhat? Oh in the first chapter, when I said five 'chuunins' were chasing Sasuke, well it was supposed to be 3 not 5 because Neji and Shikamaru are already Jounin! Sorry!

OMG! Did you guys see the new Naruto series?! It freakin rocked, didn't it! And omg, Sasuke and Sakura looks waaayy better in color! And Gaara! He rules too! You rock emo-man! Okay enough talking you dodos! Geez!

Disclaimer: Finally, I remembered! Godammit! I keep on forgetting to put on this stupid disclaimer! Of course I don't own Naruto, you freaks! If I did, I wouldn't be writing fics! Okay that's not true cause I'll always write fics! No, no! I don't own Naruto or the characters. I just like to control and torture them! LOL!

Now onto the story! Be good and stay out of prison, you freakish druggies! Yeah, you know who I'm talking about! Right, Sam?!

* * *

Chapter VII: Complications

By: Winter's Holly

-

-

-

"Tsunade-sama, there are some people who wishes to see you," an Anbu nin stated. "They said it was an urgent matter."

Tsunade lifted a brow, thinking about it for a second. "Fine. Send them in," she ordered, putting all of the scrolls she was working on away.

The Anbu nodded and let the people in and then left. Ino and Tenten stood straight and appropriately while waiting to be called on. The office was mostly quiet except for the sifting sounds of the paper being put away. Other than that, none of them had uttered a single word. When she was done, Tsunade folded her hands in front of her face in a business-like manner while eyeing the two chunin intently.

Clearing her throat, she spoke, "So what is this 'urgent matter' that you wish to speak to me about?"

Tenten was the first one to speak up. "Godaime, Ino and I believe that Uchiha Sasuke may still be here within the village; possibly in hiding at the Haruno resident."

The said woman looked interestingly at the young woman. "That is quite an assumption, Tenten," she noted, then glanced at Ino. "And what of you? Do you also think he is here, Yamanaka?"

Ino sighed and nodded her head. "Yes, I also agree with Tenten, ma'am," she responded.

Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes tiredly, while leaning back into her chair. For a moment, the two girls thought she was angry, but she wasn't. Tsunade glanced out of the large window somberly. Outside was dark now. Nothing could be seen from the outside except for her own reflection.

Bringing her attention back to the girls, Tsunade said calmly, "Ino and Tenten, I assure you that Uchiha Sasuke is not in the village nor will he ever be." She lifted a hand when she saw that Ino was about to argue. "Even if he is, we cannot let this get out or the public will panic."

"Demo, Hokage-sama, if he is here, shouldn't we stop him?!" Ino demanded, feeling worry for Sakura's safety. She had to be. Ever since what happened, Sakura stayed with her family until she was able to live on her own.

The woman only stared at the girl sympathetically. "I know you're worried about Sakura, but she can take care of herself just fine," she said encouragingly.

"Well, tell that to the others. They're just as worried about Sakura as I am," Ino retorted.

"Ino, Tsunade-sama's right," Tenten spoke, making Ino avert her attention to her. "Sakura can take care of herself even if she _is _doing it recklessly. She did it for the last two years, remember?"

Ino frowned and dropped her gaze to the floor. It was hard to accept since Sakura was her best friend. She didn't want Sakura to get hurt again after what he did to her.

A hand was felt on her shoulder when she looked up. Tsunade was beside her as she gave a comforting smile. "Trust her, Ino. She'll be fine."

The girl sighed and gave a defeated nod. "Alright."

"Now, go home the both of you," said Tsunade sternly. "The rain's coming down harder than ever."

The two chunin nodded and gave their farewell before departing. After a little while after they left, Shizune came in looking at Tsunade pitifully.

"He _is _here, isn't he?" she inquired, as Tsunade glimpsed at her. "I heard a little bit of it."

The Hokage walked by the window and tried to see through it. But she saw nothing. "I just hope he can actually save Sakura or it would have been all for nothing."

The medic frowned in confusion. "But couldn't you just take it off?"

"I could, but Sakura won't forgive me if I do," Tsunade responded quietly, still watching as the rain fell.

Shizune didn't seem to understand. "She'll die if you don't, Tsunade!"

"I know!" she yelled painfully. "But this is the only way for her to be happy as well."

Shizune felt sad for Tsunade. To have to watch your student suffer the way she has was difficult and painful.

"I just want Sakura to be happy again just the way her parents would have wanted," Tsunade murmured and the two stood in silence watching as the neverending rain took the village away.

-o0o-

As they were walking through the rain in their rain coats, Ino and Tenten stayed quiet, not knowing what to say to each other. They were only thinking about the earlier conversation they had with Tsunade. When they reached the intersection where they had to part ways, they stood with their backs towards each other.

The thunder rumbled loudly above them in the background as a series of lightning crackled, brightly shining the area. The wind whipped harshly around the two girls like needles, making their faces feels like they're burning. The water the rain's giving reached up nearly at the ankles while the dirt ground turned into mud, sinking their feet.

"Do you think everything's going to go back to the way they were before?" Ino asked quietly, yet thoughtfully as she stared at the darkness before her.

Even though it was raining heavily, Tenten heard her perfectly while she scoffed, catching Ino's attention. "If it did, then everyone'll just go back to ignoring each other," she replied solemnly. "I think everything that's happened in the past two and half years has brought us all together," she turned to face Ino and gave her a smile. "Despite the pain we endured, something good always comes out of it."

"I guess that's one way to put it," Ino murmured and gazed intently at Tenten. "But what if it was all for nothing? Was everything that we did been a waste of time?"

Tenten shook her head at the blonde's stubbornness. "If you're referring to the fact that Sakura might die, well she won't. Because I believe she has the strength to fight her fate, to fight against the pain. I also believe that if Sasuke really is here, then he's the only one to save her. I have hope in the both of them and so should you."

Not knowing what to say, Ino just stared at her friend shocked and ashamed. "Hai, you're right. I should have more faith in them," she admitted and chuckled humorlessly. "The past two years gotten to me. I was never like this before. Stupid Sakura, making me feel this way."

The brown-haired girl laughed at the comment. "Yeah, well. She's making all of us depressed! I mean look at Naruto for crying out loud!" she said loudly, almost jovially. "I've never seen that hyper kid so damn down!"

Ino giggled. "Yeah, it is strange, isn't it?" Then she put on a new determined face that Tenten hadn't seen for quite a while. "That' it! I'm not going to let those two idiots bring me down! Even if everything turns out like shit, I'll make sure they won't get sad! If they do, I'll just beat them to death!"

Tenten laughed at her enthusiasm. "That's the spirit! That's the Ino I know!"

The said girl smirked and winked at Tenten. "I feel great now! I guess I'll see you later then!" she bided farewell.

-o0o-

Meanwhile at Ichiraku…

Naruto sat by himself, slowly eating his miso ramen when Kakashi came in and sat next to him. The Jounin gave his order to the old man and waited. Naruto just ate as if he didn't notice anyone come in. He was too much in deep thought. So to try and get his attention, Kakashi took the bowl away, making Naruto wonder why he wasn't getting any food onto his chopsticks. Snapping out of it, Naruto glanced around him angry, looking for the culprit. Finally when he turned to his right, he saw his old sensei there, smiling at him.

He blinked, surprised. "Oh! Kakashi-sensei! When did you get here?" he asked innocently.

"Just now," Kakashi answered nonchalantly. "So, did anything interesting happen today?"

Knowing what he was referring to, Naruto just chose to ignore that for a while until he finished his bowl of ramen. And noticing that Kakashi got his bowl, he decided to use that to wait, too. But Kakashi wouldn't have that.

"Are you going to answer or not?" he demanded, watching his student avert his gaze elsewhere.

Sighing, Naruto spoke. "Hmm, where should I start?" he muttered to himself.

"How about from the beginning? Did you talk to him, yet?" Kakashi asked casually.

Naruto closed his eyes remembering his conversation with Sasuke. "Yes, I did actually. It was early this afternoon when I saw him at the third training grounds."

Kakashi thought about this for a while before saying his thoughts. "You saw him at the training grounds, too, huh? He seems to go there a lot," he said thoughtfully. "What did you think when you saw him? Did he change?"

With his eyes still closed, he answered Kakashi's questions. "Yeah, he did change. I thought it was impossible, but he did. Stupid teme doesn't even realize it. He doesn't even realize he's in love with Sakura-chan." He shook his head in pity and gave his sensei a lopsided grin. "But you know I have a feeling something bad's going to happen."

The Jounin lifted a brow in curiosity. "Why do you think that? For the most part, shouldn't you be happy that Sasuke will be happy and also Sakura?"

The chunin nodded frustrated. "I know, but it's just that feeling that you _know _something's going to happen," he managed to say.

Kakashi brought his gaze to his right to see the rain pouring. _'Well, he's right about that. Something bad _is _going to happen.'_

-o0o-

Somewhere in Konoha at the Akatsuki base, the organization was getting ready for the event that was going to happen soon. They all gathered in the cave just below the base and waited until Leader appeared before them as a hologram. They all bowed in respect and kept quiet until Leader spoke.

"A war will soon begin and we will attain the Jinchuuriki from that boy," he spoke with high authority.

"Will we get involve as soon as it starts?" one of the members asked.

Leader shook his head. "No, we'll wait until Orochimaru gets taken care of first, then we'll make our move."

Itachi then spoke up quietly. "And if that does not work…?" he inquired.

"Then, we'll just attack head on as well to get the Jinchuuriki," the leader answered. "But Itachi, I want you to get the Kyuubi and make sure that no one interferes, is that understood?"

"Hai!"

The same time at Oto…

"Kabuto, I have a feeling that a war will fall before us, don't you?" Orochimaru hissed delighted.

The medic pushed the bridge of his glasses and smirked. "I do," he answered.

"But, according to your last report on Sasuke, it seems like that girl is having a different influence on him," he stated, turning to face Kabuto. "I want you to go to Konoha and tell him to return. His mission is over. If he does not obey, then I'll leave you to deal with the girl, got it?"

Looking at his master, he gave a nod in understanding and smirked. "Hai, Orochimaru-sama."

-o0o-

It was the next morning when Sasuke woke up from his slumber. Ever since his argument with Sakura yesterday, he couldn't even get a single minute in for his sleep. His head pounded from the headache he got last night from thinking about his situation too much. He stood and staggered his way to the bathroom. Searching the cabinets, he managed to find a new toothbrush and toothpaste. Squeezing the paste on, the guy stood and brushed his teeth uncaringly. While doing so, he gazed at his reflection and noticed the purple circles around his eyes.

After he rinsed his mouth of the foamy paste, he washed his face several times to get rid of the drowsiness. When Sasuke turned off the faucet, he let the water drip from his face as he looked at his reflection once more. The man he saw in front of him was not the one he used to recognize. The one he saw before only thought of revenge and nothing else. That was his only duty to his family. To avenge them. Then he saw the image of the girl who changed his views. The same girl whom he thought was annoying when they were children.

Gazing down at his hands, Sasuke realized he also had another duty. A duty to his second family. To Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura. His duty to them was to return to Konoha. They wanted him to be happy no matter what. Kakashi was like his second father, so it was obvious. And then, there was Naruto. The guy who was like a little brother he never had. They had a strange bond there. And the last one, Sakura. Sasuke was never really sure about his relationship with her. He still doesn't. She was someone who could make him so angry, yet she also had the ability to make him sad, happy, and loving.

The Uchiha scoffed. _'I hate you, Sakura, for making me feel this way,'_ he thought as he lowered his face into his hands. _'But I can't see you anymore. I know I can't, but I have to leave to keep you safe.'_

Slowly, he brought himself back and stared directly at his reflection with a now emotionless expression as before. _'I'm sorry Sakura, but I will get my revenge no matter what.'_

-o0o-

_"Ha!"_

_Bam!_

The tree trunk broke in half due to the attack sent to it. Both halves flew in opposite directions from each other, knocking over other trees from their roots.

_"Yaah!"_

_Boom!_

_Thump!_

_Crack!_

The earth split opened from the punch as rocks and boulders flew into the air. Gravity finally taking its toll, made the rubble fall with speed, destroying everything in its path.

_'Panting and Gasping'_

Sakura dropped to the ground kneeling as she tried to catch her breath from the intense training she gave herself. Once again she destroyed another field in her wrath and anger. Picking herself up, she charged the dummies set on the field and gave a roundhouse kick to its side, sending it to who knows where. And she's not even using any chakra enhanced moves either.

_'You tell me! I don't even know what I'm even doing anymore!'_

_Bam!_

Another kick to the old giant tree, burst it into dust and splinters.

_'…was nonsense…string of annoyances forced on me! The mission, this fuckin place, and worst of all, YOU!'_

_Skid!_

_'Why is it always YOU?! You're everywhere I go! You, this insignificant girl—,'_

_Tak!_

_'Why do you have to be the same fuckin person I left two years ago?! You're always interfering with everything I do!'_

_**'Shut up!'**_

_Tak!_

_'Why?!'_

_**'Shut up! Shut up!'**_

_Tak!_

_Crack!_

_Creak!_

_'Why can't you just leave me the hell alone?!'_

_Boooomm!_

Sakura dropped to her knees and clutched her head as the memories of yesterday came rushing back to her. She had been training ever since he said that to her nonstop. She didn't stop to eat or rest or anything.

_'Why?!'_

"I don't know!" she screamed, tightening her grasp as the pain of her wounds opening rushed throughout her body. Sasuke's voice rang through her mind. "Shut up! Just shut up! SHUT UP!"

The thunder rumbled and roared in response to her demand. The rain pounded so hard against her body that it hurt and it made her feel numb both inside and out. The air felt much colder than it had before when she came earlier. It seemed like the gods were mocking her. Saying that she was weak to fall so low.

Sakura fell to the ground on her sides, hugging herself tightly. The blood started to color the grass red, making a large puddle of crimson around the numbed girl. The darkness of the woods gazed back at her, threatening her with its presence. Turning away, Sakura closed her eyes to get rid of the image. But unfortunately for her, another display of memories played behind her closed lids. What she saw was something she didn't really expect. She saw Sasuke, but he looked younger—about two or three years perhaps.

It reminded her what Sasuke said about her being the same person he left two years ago. The way she saw Sasuke was in first person view. He was wearing a backpack as if he was leaving. But then the image started to fade away and got dark. Clenching her eyes tighter, Sakura forced herself to remember.

_The night was bright with a pale yellow full moon as Sakura stood behind one of the trees on the path that led out of Konoha. Soon, she heard footsteps coming and getting louder. Stepping out from her hiding place, she confronted Sasuke. She saw the backpack on his shoulders and knew what this meant._

_Sasuke kept on walking forward until they were at least a few feet away from each other. Staring at her, Sasuke asked casually, "What are you doing down here so late at night? Just out for a stroll?"_

_Instead of answering his questions, Sakura replied, "In order to leave the village, you have to take this road."_

_Ignoring that last comment, Sasuke starts walking past her. "Go home and sleep."_

_As Sasuke slowly passes the pink-haired kunoichi a tear slowly slides down the side of her cheek._

_"Doushite? Why won't you say anything to me?" she asked, staring at Sasuke's retreating back. "Why do you shut everyone out? Why won't you tell me anything?"_

_Getting annoyed, Sasuke asks back, "Why do I have to tell you?"_

_Sakura just kept her gaze on Sasuke's back as she stays silent._

_"I'm telling you that you meddle too much. Stop bothering me all the time," he said with a little more volume._

_The girl turns away to hide her face. "You always act like you hate me, Sasuke-kun," she murmured as she turned back. "Do you remember?"_

_Sasuke didn't say anything._

_"When we became genin…The day the three-man teams were decided, and we were alone at this very spot. You were angry at me, weren't you?"_

_Flashback_

_**"See, he doesn't have any parents," Sakura said smugly, not noticing the glare Sasuke was giving her. "Being alone, he doesn't get yelled at by his parents. That's why he is so unruly."**_

_**The wind blew lightly around them as the leaves detached themselves from the branches. "Loneliness…" he spoke quietly, making Sakura curious. "You can't compare it to how you feel after you get scolded by your parents."**_

_**Sakura backed up and held her hand up in defense. "What's wrong?"**_

_**The young Uchiha turned to glare at her before speaking, "You are annoying."**_

_**She stood in shock as the boy walked away.**_

_End Flashback_

_Sakura looked at Sasuke's still turned back while the tears were flowing more and more as she gave a sad smile._

_"I don't remember," Sasuke answered emotionlessly._

_Surprise and pain washed over her face while she looks down and gave a strangled laugh. "That's right. That was a long time ago," she said smiling. "But it started on that day. You and I, and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei…" Memories of the days of the missions came back to her. "The four of us have done a lot of missions together. It was difficult, and it was awful, but…Demo…Even so…It was fun!"_

_Sakura looked hopefully at Sasuke as she smiled and sighed. "I know about what happened to your clan. But with revenge alone, you will not be able to make anyone happy."_

_The clouds floated by slowly covering the bright moon, making everything grow darker as the wind blew stronger._

_"No one…" she continued. "Neither you…nor me…"_

_A tiny smirk threatened to tug at his lips when she said this. "I know that," he said, making Sakura surprised. "I am different from you guys. I follow a different path than you guys. The four of us together…It's true that I have thought of that as one possible path. Despite the four of us having been together, my heart has chosen revenge. I live for that purpose," he said with determined eyes while Sakura listens closely. "I can't be like you or Naruto."_

_Not satisfied with his answer, Sakura turned fully to him. "Aren't you going to be lonely by yourself?! Sasuke-kun, you told me that being alone is painful!" she screamed as Sasuke glares at the emptiness before. "I know that very well, so much that it hurts! I have family and friends. Dakedo…if you leave, for me…To me, it's the same thing as being alone!"_

_He stared at the ground and listens painfully as the picture of Team Seven came to his mind. It reminded him of what to do as he put back on his blank face. "From this point on, new paths will start," he said, leaving no room for argument, but Sakura wouldn't have that while she took a tentative step to him._

_"Atashiwa…I love you more than anything!" she declared, now desperate to make Sasuke stay. "If you are by my side, I will make sure that you will not regret it! I will make everyday more enjoyable, and you will be happy! I would do anything for you! Dakara…I beg you! Please stay here! I will even help you with your revenge! There must be something I can do! That's why…please stay here with me…" she cried with the tears falling from her eyes as the clouds cleared. "If that is not possible, please take me with you…"_

_With that, she stayed quiet letting her tears fall to the ground._

_Turning around with a smirk on his face, Sasuke cruelly said, "After all this time, you're still annoying." After he said that, Sakura felt like he just stabbed a kunai at her heart as he started to take off again._

_"Don't go!" she shouted, running up when she saw him walk to the gates again. "If you go, I will scream out loud and…"_

_When he heard her threat, Sasuke quickly disappears and reappeared behind her, surprising her. The both of them didn't say a word for a moment as the wind and leaves blows past them._

_"Sakura…" he said quietly, trying to think of another way to tell her that he appreciated her love and care for him. But since he couldn't think of anything else, one word was all he had to say: "Arigatou."_

_She gasped, not knowing how to comprehend that, but unfortunately didn't have any time to think about it when Sasuke hit a certain area on her neck, knocking her out. Her eyes widen. 'Sasuke-kun…'_

_When she fell to the ground, Sasuke gazed her form for a second until he carried her to the bench without wiping her tears._

-o0o-

Sakura snapped her eyes opened and realized she wasn't at the training field anymore, but at the hospital. There was no one in the white room besides herself. Softly touching her head, Sakura stared out the window still shaken up by the dream. She finally figured it out even if she could only remember that certain memory. Those memories, everybody being extra careful around her, why Sasuke said all those things…

"Oh! You're awake, Haruno-san!" said a nurse, relieved.

Sakura didn't turn to look at her, but just asked, "How did I get here?"

The woman blinked. "Um, your cousin brought you here, saying that he found you training when you weren't supposed to and…"

The nurse kept on rambling on and on, but she didn't notice that Sakura wasn't listening to her. Sakura's eyes were wide when she heard who brought her in. "Wait! Who did you say bring me in?!" she demanded, snapping the nurse back.

"Your cousin, ma'am," she said slowly. "Excuse me, but is there something the matter?"

Sakura ignored and just narrowed her eyes out the window. _'Sasuke…I'll make sure you won't leave this village again. I won't make the same mistake again.'

* * *

Yeah, so it was kind of boring, but this is the low part of the arc! And besides, we needed a break on SasuSaku...pfft! Yeah right! Oh! I crack myself up! Hey you, stop smoking! Yeah, you! Don't deny it! Remember denial is bad for your health! I mean look at Sasuke and Sakura for crying out loud! They're a perfect example of that! _

But anyways, here a part of the Chapter VIII for ya:

"I remember, Sasuke!" she shouted loudly over the rain as it drenched her clothes. "I know you're the third member of Team Seven two years before!"

Sasuke stopped, frozen in his tracks, as her words were caught in his mind. His obsidian eyes were wide from a feeling he didn't recognize. All he knew at the moment was that she remembered.

When he didn't answer, it shocked her to know that she was right. "You are, aren't you?" she inquired quietly, stepping forward alerting the boy.

Hearing her come closer, Sasuke was going to take off when Sakura appeared before him. Blinking in surprise, he turned back to where she was standing earlier. _'How the hell...?' _he thought as he gazed back at her.

Moving into a fighting stance, Sakura said lowly, "You are not going to leave, Uchiha Sasuke. If you want to get through those gates, you'll have to get past me first."

Alrighty then! There you have it! A nice big ass part of what will happen in the next chapter called: Sayonara to Arigatou

Yep! So please review or I won't ever update anymore and I'm serious. Update or no chappie!


	8. Chapter VIII: Sayonara to Arigatou

WOOHOO! YEAH! CHAPTER 8 OF 'FORGET ME NOT' IS HERE! YEAH! WOO!

Okay! I know I haven't updated in such a long time, forgive me! Being a junior isn't easy, I gotta tell you that! Damn those teachers! Oh! I was selected in one of the 25 artists to win the Congressional Art Show! I'm so happy! But you know what's funny? I had all these really good paintings but they decided to take my small moon painting instead! It's like a 4x6, man! Anyway, it was really hard to figure out the fight scene and all that crap! It always gets like this when you have too many ideas! You don't know where to store them, right, people! Okay, enough of my rambling! On with the story!

Disclaimer: No, I don't Naruto only Kishimoto-sensei! I only like to play god and torture them! Haha!

You people stay out of jail now! You heard me, you crackpots!

* * *

Chapter VIII: Sayonara to Arigatou

By: Winter's Holly

-

April 9th, Monday…

Finally, in what seemed like ages, the rain seemed to fall lighter than it had in the past week. The heavy tension that hung in the air for so long lifted and the atmosphere was so peaceful. The sky was showing color again from the black blanket that covered it, and birds were seen flying from wherever they hid. Though, it wasn't enough to dispel the heavy mood that Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura were feeling. Both sat in their rooms, staring out of their windows, both thinking of each other.

_'It's time…'_

_-_

As soon as some light shone through the window of her hospital room, Sakura instantly opened her eyes as if she had only been sleeping for a few minutes. The padding sounds of footsteps were heard coming towards her room as she listened. As a couple of minutes passed, the door to her room eventually opened and revealed Hinata, walking in tentatively. After closing the door quietly as to not disturb the girl, Hinata turned around only to jump slightly to see Sakura staring straight at her with blank eyes.

"S-Sakura-chan!" she stuttered. "Gomenasai! I didn't mean to wake you, sorry."

Sakura closed her eyes and shook her head while giving a sigh. She winced. Shaking her head wasn't a good idea—it only made her headache worse. "Iie, it's fine," said Sakura. "I was already awake before you came in."

The Hyuuga heiress nodded her head in understanding while picking up the clipboard at the end of the bed. As she examined it, she frowned and shook her head.

When she looked up at Sakura again, Hinata said, "I don't know why, but your condition seems to get worse everyday. You look healthy, but on the inside you're not getting better at all. I suggest that you stop training and going on missions, Sakura-chan—,"

"Sonna!" shouted the girl as she sat up immediately, hurting her sides. "There's no way I'm going to do that, Hinata. If I do, then I'll just get weaker and weaker as the days go by. No, I'm not going to stop training."

Her brows furrowed by the statement she heard from Sakura. "Demo, Sakura-chan, if you keep on doing this to yourself, you'll probably end up becoming more sick," she tried to explain, but the other medic wouldn't listen.

"I'm sorry, Hinata, but I won't do that. I refuse to stop my lifestyle just because of a minor injury," Sakura reply stubbornly.

Her shoulders slumped as she gave a defeated sigh. "You and I both know that these wounds are not minor, Sakura-chan," she said quietly. "You are the Godaime's apprentice, and that means you have responsibilities, too. If you don't put the village before yourself—,"

"I know my responsibilities, dammit!" Sakura shouted, startling Hinata. "This is why I have to train every damn day, so that when the time comes I'll be able to take on the enemy without any hesitation. Do you know _your _responsibilities, Hinata?"

Feeling a major hit on her pride as a ninja took the breath out of her when Sakura questioned her abilities. "O-of course, I know my responsibilities!" her voice louder than she intend it to be. "My duty is to my village and also to myself. I want to prove to myself that I can protect my friends, too. So I'll do everything in power to protect this village."

"Even if it means taking away your life?" Sakura asked.

Hinata nodded determinedly. "Even if it means taking away my life."

At this point, Sakura already turned to look out the window. And then in a very quiet whisper, she asked, "Even if it means to hurt the person you love?"

Right then, Hinata gasped and blinked in shocked to the question. Silence began to settle around them. It was only after a minute that Hinata decided to answer. "If it's the only way to protect them, then yes."

"Sou ka," she whispered.

"Sakura-chan?"

Sakura looked away from the window and faced Hinata once more. "I guess I'll see you later then, Hinata. Shishou said she was going to come on check on me today, so I guess I'll just rest up until she arrives."

Blinking at the sudden change of subject, Hinata decided to just let it go. "Hai, I'll be going now. Ja'ne."

Sakura nodded briefly in response before lying back down in her covers and closing her eyes.

Hinata grabbed the doorknob hesitantly as she gave a glance at Sakura's back. Convinced that the girl is asleep, Hinata walked out carefully, shutting the door as she did so.

When the footsteps died away, Sakura opened her eyes and stared out into the distance. The drizzle continued to fall while the clouds floated by slowly. Glaring at the sky, Sakura turned away from the window and sighed.

_'Uchiha Sasuke, huh?' _she wondered idle. _'I didn't really know who you were after all, huh? Because I **am **just any annoying girl you hate.'_

Sakura closed her eyes at the painful thought and turned her face into the pillow as if to block it all out.

-o0o-

As the door slides closed, Tsunade looked up from a mission report she was just reading to see Hinata looking trouble.

Hinata moved to bow lowly in respect as she greeted the Godaime. "Kounichiwa, Tsunade-sama," she said quietly.

"Hinata, hisashiburi! Did you just get back from the hospital?" she asked conversationally.

The said girl sighed and nodded. "Hai, I did. I was checking up on Sakura-chan while I was there," she answered.

Tsunade lifted a brow in interest, and then returned to looking at the report uncaringly. "So?"

Hinata snapped her head up and blinked confusedly at her superior. "N-nani?" she stuttered.

The woman sighed and stared straight at her. "How's her condition? Is Sakura doing any better?"

"Iie. That jutsu takes away more of her chakra than I expected. Still, what's even more amazing is that she still has the strength to move at all. Usually after a couple of years with this jutsu, one's body would start to weaken due to the lack of chakra and become paralyzed. And the person will die slowly. But Sakura's had this jutsu for more years than necessary."

"How long does she have to live?" Tsunade asked.

Hinata shook her head sadly. "Not very long. Probably a month, two at the least," she estimated. "Considering how long the jutsu's been on her, I thought she would've died a year ago."

The Hokage smirked half-heartedly. "There's no way Sakura would let some jutsu beat her. She has a very strong will and heart that won't accept defeat."

"So it would seem," said a new voice.

Both the Hokage and chunin instantly turned their heads to the newcomer. It was Kakashi. He nodded his head to Hinata curtly before facing Tsunade. His face was serious and for once there was no book in his hand. Taking this as something important, Tsunade dismissed Hinata. The young woman bowed as she took her leave. When they were sure that Hinata was out of earshot, they two spoke conversely to each other.

"What were you saying earlier?" Tsunade asked absentmindedly.

"I was just agreeing with you on your comment about Sakura," he answered, then added. "She is very strong and stubborn. You should've seen her during her first attempts at the chunin exams. Very stubborn, indeed."

Tsunade frowned, then scoffed. "Just what are you getting at, Kakashi? I know you didn't come here for small talk."

Kakashi gave a brief glance. "That jutsu you placed on Sakura was supposed to suppress her memories, right?"—she nodded—"Well, it doesn't seem as strong as you said before. Of course, it's draining the life out of her, but her memories are slowly coming back."

"It usually does work on normal people, but Sakura isn't one of those people," she replied, leaning back into her chair. "Didn't you say that when Ino attempted to take over Sakura's spirit, she said she had two?"

"Yes, what of it?"

The woman looked at him. "What if that second 'spirit' had been preventing the memory suppressor? What if her subconscious was refusing to let her forget?"

"And maybe that's why her memories are returning, right?" Kakashi inferred.

"Exactly," Tsunade confirmed as she leaned forward on her elbows. "And I also believe that with Sasuke's presence, her memories are becoming clearer to her. Eight days ago, Sakura told me she was having strange dreams. And in one of them, she saw the Rasengan and Chidori on a roof."

Kakashi's eyes widen right here at the mention of the roof and two attacks. "That was when I stopped Naruto and Sasuke from hitting Sakura," he murmured quietly.

"Yeah, but even though we tried to suppress her memory, it still didn't get rid of her wounds either," Tsunade whispered. "Do you remember, Kakashi? The wounds she got three years ago from Orochimaru?" The Jounin nodded. "Well, I don't think you could get rid of it just by killing him. It's like Sasuke's cursed seal; we'll have to find another way to heal her wounds."

"I see," he muttered. "Then we'll just have to find a cure."

"Yeah."

-o0o-

_Knock!_

_Knock!_

_Knock!_

Eyebrows furrowed suspiciously as footsteps slowly and tentatively moved towards the door. Looking into the eyehole, obsidian eyes went back to their emotionless state while the grips on the kunai relaxed. Stepping back, Sasuke warily opened the door, leaving only a crack so that he could peek out.

"Doushita?" he demanded from the person.

Blue eyes remained calm as he answered simply, "We need to talk." But the young man behind the door didn't move to open it. Naruto sighed, "It's about Sakura."

His eyes widen a bit at the name, but he complied. Sasuke let the shinobi in while checking for any sighs of trouble. As soon as the door was shut, Sasuke locked the door and deadbolt, hooked up the chain, and pushed the surface bolt into place. When he turned around to face his old teammate, Naruto gave him a look that said he was crazy.

"Paranoid much?" he asked simply, while smirking, but the boy didn't get it. "Did spending time with the snake freak you out that much?"

He quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

As Naruto strolled over to the couch, he responded mockingly, "Well, you know, I heard he was a pedophile and all. I'm just wondering if you actually got butt-raped that you're so cautious now. If you did, then I'll tell everyone."

It wasn't even a second after the joker finished explaining when Sasuke suddenly appeared in front of him with a murderous aura surrounding him. He activated his Sharingan as he lifted Naruto off the couch. "If you ever say that to me again, I'll make sure you won't ever become Hokage. Got it, dobe?" Sasuke said darkly.

The shinobi nodded feverously. "Y-yeah, got it!"

Dropping the boy, Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan while taking a sit across Naruto. Going into his thinking pose, Sasuke waited for Naruto to speak, still irritated.

After recomposing himself, Naruto cleared his throat. "Well, I need to talk to you about Sakura obviously. So—,"

"Wait, before you start," Sasuke interrupted. "How did you know where I was?"

The boy shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a guess," he answered. "Well, anyways, about Sakura, I heard she's been in the hospital since last night. What happened? To Sakura, I mean."

Sasuke glared at the boy for bothering him. "How the hell should _I_ should what happens to her? It's not my problem what she does to herself," answered Sasuke coldly.

Naruto glared back at Sasuke. "What the hell is your problem?" he demanded angrily, standing up as he did so. "Don't you care about what happens to Sakura-chan?"

"No," Sasuke replied emotionlessly. "Now leave."

The guy narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha vehemently. "Fine, but if she dies, I'm going after your ass." With that, Naruto made a hand sign and left.

Sighing tiredly, Sasuke got up and went into his room. As he sat on the bed, he pulled out the yellow folder he'd stolen a few days ago from under the bed. Opening it, he reread the information on Sakura. She was born on March 28th with perfect health, so it seemed odd that she would have something that would cause her such pain. So that was out. For half an hour, he search through the folder and found nothing that would tell him what's wrong with Sakura. Feeling frustrated, Sasuke threw the folder across the room, making the papers scattered.

_Thump!_

_'That's not normal,' _he thought, hearing an unusual thump from the papers. Gathering the papers, Sasuke noticed a thick worn-out envelope by his foot. _'Weird. How come I never noticed this before?' _He examined the envelope in his hands. It looked like any other envelope—long and narrow and old—but the only difference was the tightly tied red string around it and a red wax seal with the character of fire in the center.

_'I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm curious why this is here in Sakura's file,' _Sasuke thought, finally deciding to open the package.

Inside, there were many stapled papers and some pictures. When he took the pictures out, however, his heart nearly stop at the image. It was a picture of Sakura eleven years ago all covered in blood crying. There were other photos as well containing images of the house. But there was one that caught his eye. This one was taken approximately two years when he left. It was of Sakura, but she looked like she aged so many years. Her face was lifeless and pale; her body was thin with torn clothes. There scratches and bruises all over her. It was then when he noticed the same long gash along her chest and the wound on the right side of her stomach.

_'Matte,' _he thought, a dreaded feeling churning in his stomach. "If she had this two years ago, how can the wounds still be there?"

Quickly flipping back to the other papers, Sasuke skimmed it. _'Four-year-old Haruno, Sakura was found on the floor inside of her house beside her parents' bodies earlier this evening at 6:50 p.m. on November 23rd. There were no serious injuries on her, however, Haruno Sora and Kasumi were brutally murdered. It seems, according to their wounds, they were immediately killed. The suspect then tried to kill the young girl afterwards, perhaps, not to leave any witnesses. Unfortunately, the girl couldn't help identify who the killer of her family was. This is all.'_

After reading the report, Sasuke scanned the rest of this story until he found the name of the shinobi who wrote it. His eyes widen. "I-I can't believe it," he breathed. "Kakashi wrote this report…that means he was there investigating." Then remembering the incident that happened afterwards, Sasuke went to read that report. _'On September 5th at 5:15 this morning, Haruno, Sakura was found at the gate entrance after being missing for a month. There was no one with her, but she just kept on saying 'They're dead' when we found her. Her health is very low and she was nearly tortured to death. It looked she had been running for three straight days without stopping. Her wounds are critical and almost caused her death. But there are…these wounds that won't seem to heal—like they weren't meant to be healed—probably for torture. There is no other information regarding her aunt and uncle, however. They are still missing. Hatake Kakashi.'_

Sasuke flipped to the next couple of pages and began reading again, but this was written by someone else. _'…never getting better. Her condition is actually getting worse everyday. She refuses to eat, drink, or sleep. She keeps muttering 'traitor', 'they're dead', and such. Sakura never responds to anything except for the name Uchiha Sasuke. When she hears his name, she would start screaming and thrashing. This is very difficult. On the 20th of December, Sakura was unusually quiet. I asked if she was alright and she looked at me with blank, dead eyes. Her gaze was so cold, I felt chills running along my back. She told me she wanted to forget everything. At first, I didn't know what she meant. When she touched my hand, they were as cold as ice. 'Make me forget everything…about Orochimaru…my parents…about him,' she told me exactly. I told her that I could, but at a terrible price. The jutsu was called 'Gyaku Kinen no Jutsu' or the Reverse Memory Jutsu. _

_'This is a powerful and forbidden jutsu used only when necessary. It has the ability to erase all of one's memory or certain events and stays that way. Not only is it effective, but dangerous. In order for this jutsu to work, it must use the person's chakra so that the memory erased will remained erased. It drains all of the chakra until there is nothing left. When this happens, however, it happens in a short amount of time. There is never a person who survives this jutsu, I told her. But she didn't listen. Sakura didn't care if her life span would be shortened as long as she forgot. But I've made my decision and will perform the jutsu on her; hopefully she would be able to break the jutsu before it takes her life. Tsunade.'_

The documents fell to the floor as Sasuke dropped his head in his hands, stunned. "She's dying because of that jutsu…because of me," the boy whispered, feeling an agonizingly painful pull to his heart. "It's my all fault."

"Then why don't you leave and come back with us?" asked a mocking voice. Sasuke instantly snapped his head at the intruder and glared maliciously at him. "What? Aren't you happy to see me, Sasuke-sama?"

"Kabuto," Sasuke spat angrily. "What do you want?"

"Your mission here is over. Orochimaru-sama wants you to come back," Kabuto answered, a smirk playing at his lips.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes darkly at Orochimaru's right-hand man. "And if I refuse?"

His smirk widen as his eyes glinted in amusement. "Then I kill Sakura-san."

"Don't you dare touch her!" the Uchiha yelled loudly, instantly having Kabuto an inch off the ground as he gripped tightly on his throat. "I swear if you lay one finger on her, I'll kill you!"

Though, the man didn't seem as worried about the threat as he simply threw back his head and laughed. "She really did change you, didn't she, Sasuke-sama?" Kabuto asked until he noticed Sasuke's frozen expression. "Have you forgotten what your purpose in life is already?" He sighed lazily while shrugging nonchalantly. "Seems like you don't want revenge anymore, considering all you've been doing was falling for Sakura-san."

The statement reached his ears as he held the man higher. "I'm not falling for her and don't tell me what I want or don't want, got it?!" Sasuke snapped while his Sharingan swirled into a black blur. "Go tell that bastard I'm returning to Oto."

With that, the shinobi dropped the medic to the floor roughly before turning his back to him. When he stood up while dusting himself, Kabuto glanced at the young man observantly. _'Will he be able…?' _he wondered, but shook the thought away.

"Hai," he replied respectfully, bowing.

When the apartment was empty and quiet as it was before, Sasuke exhaled the breath he held. With his bangs shadowing over his eyes and clenched fists, Sasuke turned back to the files, deciding if he should keep it or burn it. _'No, I'll keep them just in case,' _he thought, sighing at the same time. _'Now I really have to leave her again.'_

-o0o-

As the doors were pushed open, the smell of the hospital instantly hit his nostrils. While shaking his head from the smell and to get rid of the droplets of rain, Naruto made his way to the front desk. Leaning over the counter, he waited for one of the nurses to come back.

"Sumimasen," a nurse coming from the hall called. "Is there anything I could help you with?"

"Oh, yeah! Could you tell me where Haruno Sakura is?" Naruto asked loudly.

The woman nodded and went behind the counter to check on the computer. "Haruno-san is in room 217," she answered. "If you would kindly follow me, I would take you there."

"Arigatou!"

After they found the room, the nurse left giving him only ten minutes of visiting time. As Naruto opened the door lightly, he peeked his head in with wide eyes. Trying to be as quiet as possible, he brought his body in slowly until he slammed the door.

"You suck, Naruto," Sakura's voice rang on the other side.

Taking a chair while laughing sheepishly, Naruto said, "I meant to do that!"

The girl rolled her eyes, not convinced. "Right. So what brings you to my white room of isolation?"

He chuckled. "Oh you know, just to bother you!" he replied cheerfully.

"Great, as if I'm not annoyed already."

Naruto's eyes soften at his teammate. "So what happened? Did you push yourself again?" he asked gently.

Sakura turned around and looked at her reflection on the window. "And what of it? I can't just sit on my ass doing nothing, you know."

"Yeah, but still, you've got to give yourself a break sometime," he stated. "Even if you don't want to, your body just can't take the pressure especially in your case."

Sakura sighed, feeling all the fighting spirit leave her. "Look, I'm not in the mood to fight alright? I just want to know something from you."

"What is it?"

She looked at him directly in the eyes, expecting a straight answer. "Did you know, from the very beginning, that Uchiha Sasuke was our third teammate?"

Naruto was listening very closely until she said Sasuke's name. "W-what? What do you mean?" he lied.

Glaring at the blonde shinobi, Sakura sat up grabbing his collar. "Don't lie to me Naruto. Did you know? Did everyone know?!" she demanded, shaking him back and forth. "Were you guys lying to me the whole time?! Tell me!"

"I can't!" he screamed, ripping her hands off; he stood up roughly, knocking the chair over.

Her glare intensified as she tried to climb off the bed, only to be caught by Naruto. Angrily, the Hokage's apprentice pushed him away. "I can't believe it," she said through gritted teeth. "You people lied to me…everything you told me was a lie, wasn't it?"

"That's not true, Sakura-chan!" Naruto reasoned, stepping forward with hands up to calm the girl. "We didn't lie to you, I swear!"

"Stay away from me!" she screamed and opened the closet to gather her clothing and weapons.

"Sakura-chan, where are you going?!" Naruto ran over and tried to stop her, but the kunoichi pushed him away, sending him across the room with her inhuman strength. "S-Sakura-chan…" he muttered, feeling the sting from his head colliding with the wall.

Ignoring, Sakura tried to put on most of her clothes when the nurse came rushing in. "Haruno-san! What are you doing?! You're not supposed to be out of bed; you're in no condition to go anywhere!"

"Oh, yeah! Watch me!" And with that said, Sakura jumped out from the second-story window, landing perfectly. But she fell to her knees when her wounds started acting up again. "Kuso!"

"Haruno-san, come back!" the nurse shouted from the window. Since the girl didn't listen to her, she turned back to call the other medics. "Someone call the doctor! We need to get some help and bring Haruno-san back!"

After hearing the nurse, Sakura immediately stood up and headed towards the one place she would find him: the gate.

Meanwhile, as the sky began to grow darker once more, Sasuke stood in front of his old home where the Uchiha massacre took place. A feeling of nostalgia and sorrow washed through him as he remembered the image of his elder brother standing over the dead bodies of their parents. He came here earlier to see it again before he had to leave. This was the last place he wanted to see. _'I don't know if I'll ever come back, so I might as well go in,' _Sasuke thought sadly.

Taking the first step toward the house hesitantly, Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. Even though, the wind was blowing fiercely around, he was sweating, feeling his insides churn nervously. Inhaling deeply, Sasuke slide the door open and went inside. The home was dark and eerily quiet. As he took off his sandals, he remembered the house being a little bigger. Eight years did pass since he stepped foot in the house. He would never go in for fear of reminiscing the horror. While he walked through the halls of his childhood home, Sasuke felt a different emotion for each object and place he saw. He felt happiness and peace at his room and admiration and confidence in the kitchen when he and his mother had their special conversation. But the ones he felt the most was anger, pain, sorrow, and the strongest of all—betrayal at his parents' room. He stood outside, staring at the doors as the rain fell as hard as it had the many days before. Running his fingers lightly on the wooden door, he closed his eyes tightly, feeling the pain flow through his body.

His hands fisted so deep into his palms, his nails pierced the skin, making the blood drip. "Kuso!" he growled. "Why did you have to kill them, you bastard?! Nande?!" He slammed his fist on the door as little dust shook off of it. "I swear I will avenge our clan! I'll kill you, Itachi!"

After a while, Sasuke let himself calm down before gazing at the doors again. With one last look at them, he turned around and went back to the front and left the Uchiha district. Again, like two and half years ago, the young man passed all the places of his childhood until he reached the gates. The air was cold and rigid as the rain continued to pour.

_'Just a few more steps and I won't have to see this place again,' _Sasuke thought, but then smirked. _'Then again, I said this last time and still came back.' _

Just when he was about to pass the bench, a voice called him through the rain. "UCHIHA SASUKE!"

Alarmed, he turned around to see Sakura panting, while grasping tightly at her chest. He frowned when he noticed some blood bleeding through the bandages. She didn't even finish dressing herself! Her shirt isn't zipped up and is hanging off her left shoulder, her white skirt wasn't buckled up right and she only has her kunai and shuriken holster on her. The pouch, gloves, elbow protectors, and hitai-ate are still at the hospital.

"Sakura, go back to the hospital," he said coldly.

But the girl didn't seem to hear him as she gazed at him with sad green eyes. "You're leaving, aren't you? You're leaving us again!" she screamed.

His brows twitched. _'Again?! Does she remember?!'_

"Just go, Sakura," he said, this time getting annoyed. "You're wasting my time." Without waiting for her to answer, Sasuke turned around and headed towards the exit once more.

Scared that he would really leave, Sakura ran desperately towards him. "I remember, Sasuke!" she shouted loudly over the rain as it drenched her clothes. "I know you're the third member of Team Seven from two years before!"

Sasuke stopped, frozen in his tracks, as her words here caught in his mind. His obsidian eyes were wide from a feeling he didn't recognize. All he knew at the moment was that she remembered.

When he didn't answer, it shocked her to believe that she was actually right. "You are, aren't you?" she inquired quietly—which he still heard—stepping forward slowly, alerting the shinobi.

Hearing her come closer, Sasuke was going to take off when Sakura appeared before him. Blinking in surprise, he turned back to where she was standing earlier. _'How the hell…?' _he thought as he gazed back at her.

Moving into a fighting stance, Sakura said lowly, "You are not going to leave Konoha tonight, Uchiha Sasuke. If you want to get through those gates, you'll have to get past me first."

Feeling frustrated and outraged, Sasuke growled coldheartedly, "If you want to live Sakura, you'll move."

"NO! I won't make the same mistake I did three years ago! If I'm going to stop you this time, I'll do more than just talk!"

Closing his eyes and sighing heavily, Sasuke took his bag off and also moved into a stance while activating his Sharingan. _'I'll make this quick.' _In a blink of an eye, Sasuke was instantly behind Sakura with his right arm pulled back to punch her. Though, she saw it right away, she didn't have time to defend herself so was sent flying to the ground. While she was still trying to catch her breath, Sasuke tried to use this time to escape, but Sakura was in front of him again, catching him off guard. Using this to her advantage, she gave her best right upper cut under his chin.

Due to her immense strength, Sasuke flew more than a couple feet in the air. As the kunoichi leaped into the air with him, she grabbed the front of his shirt. She turned a full circle to gain more speed and threw the man to the ground, creating a small crater with his body. Sasuke soon coughed out large amounts of blood as he brought himself up.

"When did she become so strong?!" he growled, wiping the blood from his lips.

As she landed, Sakura held her side in pain. "You didn't think I spent three whole years doing nothing, did you?" She smirked, breathing heavily.

"No, I suppose not," he smirked back. "But this is wearing you out, isn't it?"

The kunoichi glared hard at him while tightening her hold on her wound. When it started to bleed, Sakura didn't notice. "Shut the hell up, you fucking asshole!" her voice was nearly lost through the rain, but Sasuke heard. "You traitor! Traitor!"

She stood staggering and was charging him blindly. As she threw a series of kicks and punches, Sasuke dodged them all swiftly and quickly. Dropping to the ground, he expertly swung his leg across, causing her to fall and hit her head on the concrete. Quickly, Sasuke pinned her so that she couldn't escape.

"Sakura, you're not making this any easier for me," he said, annoyed.

"Good!" Sakura stated, and twisted her head to the side. "GO!"

While his face twisted in confusion, Sasuke felt someone pulled him off of Sakura and throwing him into a tree, making it crack. Snapping his head up, Sasuke saw a bushin of Sakura. "What the hell?! When did you do that?!"

"Come on, Sasuke! You're supposed to be an Uchiha, right?" she asked, glaring at him. "Then stop playing around and fight me like a ninja!"

"Fine." Sasuke was standing up again and this time, he seemed to have started to take it seriously now. "If that's what you want, fine. I'll fight you for real."

Sakura nodded and took her fighting stance once more. Though as she stood, she felt her mind being taken somewhere else, away from the fighting. She felt as if this would be the last time she would ever talk or fight with him again.

"I hope," she whispered softly. "I hope when or if I ever regain my memories, that we'll still be friends."

Sasuke blinked in surprise, not really expecting to hear those kinds of words coming from her, especially since they're fighting. He lowered his head and smirked. "Yeah." And suddenly he appeared before Sakura and gave her a punch in the stomach.

"UGH!" she groaned, bending down in reflex to ease the pain. As she did so, Sakura saw Sasuke's knee coming up. Instincts kicking in, she quickly did a backwards flip. While still in the air, she used this chance to throw her foot at the Uchiha's head.

With his Sharingan, Sasuke immediately saw her foot coming and threw up his left arm to defend himself. He was successful and took her ankle in an iron-grip, twisting. As she landed on her left leg, Sakura held back a cry of pain as Sasuke continued to grip her foot. With her ankle still locked in his hand, Sakura used this to her advantage and pivoted her hip to the left a little to swing her other leg over. As Sasuke was thrown off her, she fell to the wet ground painfully. Not forgetting the fight isn't over, the kunoichi leaped up to find herself alone. She looked around the surrounding area and felt no presence of her opponent.

_'Where the hell is he?!' _Sakura thought angrily, still searching for Sasuke.

Suddenly, she felt his chakra dangerously close to her. She braced herself for the pain to come, knowing she wouldn't be able to block his attack this time. A moment or two passed and yet she felt no pain at all.

"Sakura," she heard him called, feeling his breath tickling the skin of her neck. All of a sudden, for the first time, the girl felt tense and scared. Her hands shot up to her neck and her body turned to face his.

He felt his heart skipped a beat when he saw the fear and pain in her eyes. It wasn't going to be like the last time. When he left, he never saw what her expression was when he knocked her unconscious. This time Sasuke was going to face her and remember what she'll look like when he says goodbye again.

"NO!" Sakura screamed, desperately clutching onto his shirt. "You can't go again! Onegai! Stay with me…please." By this time, she was already sobbing, burying her face in his chest. "I love you more than anything!"

Sasuke's face became a pain-filled expression as he embraced her tightly, causing her to gasp. "Sumanai, Sakura," Sasuke murmured, hugging her tighter. "This is for your own good."

"Demo—!" she started, but her eyes went wide as darkness started to fill her vision. "D-doushite, Sasuke-kun…nanitozo…"

Her body soon went limp in his arms as he supported her. Slowly kneeling, Sasuke stared at her face and watched as the rain continued to drip along her jaw. Her tears mingled with the droplets and Sasuke wiped them softly. "Arigatou."

"Sakura-chan!" screamed Naruto in the distance. Hearing him, Sasuke quickly took his jacket, which was placed next to the rest of his belongings after he placed Sakura gently under a nearby tree, and wrapped it around the unconscious girl so she wouldn't get cold. When Sasuke gathered his stuff and stood, he gave Sakura a long last gaze. He kneeled down slowly, bringing his face closer to hers until their lips met. As he pulled away, Sasuke caressed her cheek affectionately before standing up. After looking at her again, Sasuke took off beyond the gates. A couple of minutes later, Naruto and the other chunin and Neji arrived. All of their gazes were pointed towards Sakura until they noticed the large crater in front of them.

"Holy shit!" screamed Kiba as he took a wide glance at the hole in the ground. "Man, I'd hate to get on her bad side!"

Naruto glared and punched the guy. "Shut up, Inuzuka! Go search the area, stupid!"

The teen grumbled and leaped away. Naruto began looking around the area and was amazed by the hole and dents in the grounds and trees. As he approached the bench, he saw a figure on the ground, leaning on a tree opposite of it.

He instantly knew who it was. "Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!" The blonde shinobi ran to her side quickly and examined her to see if she was injured. "Well, it's not as bad as I thought it'd be," he muttered and noticed the navy blue jacket on her. There, on it was the Uchiha crest. _'Sasuke, did you leave already?'_

"No one's around," Neji stated, standing behind Naruto. "It seems Uchiha has already left."

Shikamaru and Chouji showed as well with Kiba right behind them. Naruto glanced at them questioningly. All three shook their heads. Sighing heavily, Naruto picked up Sakura's body and face the others. "Alright then, let me get Sakura to the hospital and I'll meet you guys at the tower."

The shinobi nodded and leaped towards the tower, except for Shikamaru. He looked at Sakura's form and then at Naruto. "You alright?"

Naruto only chuckled humorlessly. "We couldn't bring him back again and now I know he won't ever come back."

"Mendokuse…didn't you and Sakura make a promise of a 'lifetime'?" Shikamaru asked lazily while Naruto glance his way. "Then you'll be able to bring him back. I mean it's not everyday that someone makes a promise of a lifetime." The lazy genius smirked.

Naruto, feeling a little bit better, gave a big grin. "Yeah!"

A little ways away, Sasuke was on top of a tree, watching as Naruto and Shikamaru took off. He sighed and turned the other direction, thinking about his and Sakura's fight. "Goodbye, Sakura."

* * *

So?! Do you like it or do you hate it?! Just be honest, I won't hurt you! (She lies, she lies-Inner Child) Shut the hell up, freak! Oh, sorry! But anyways, I hoped you liked it cause I skipped the sequel to 'Not So Sweet' for this! Yes, I took me two months to figure it out! So sue me!

Okay, for those who are still waiting for 'Not So Sweet' sequel, it's almost done...somewhat...not really! LOL! But next time toon in to "Forget-Me-Not' with chapter IX: Sakura's mission.

Alright, bye! Please review, thanks! The next time I update, can I see my reviews go up to at least 70! Please! If you do make it go to 70, I'll give you a cookie!

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


	9. Chapter IX: Confusion

WHOA! I actually updated faster! It's really weird for me right now! LOL! Usually I would have two months of writer's block and a bunch of school work to do, which I still have to work on. But don't worry, this project I'm working could only be worked on at school. It's a senior backdrop and I'm the only junior allowed to help. It's a freakin pain in the ass! Oh! I made a mistake in chapter 8 when I told you about this chapter. 'Sakura's Mission' comes after this chapter since this is only a filler. Sorry! XP!

Man, I was so busy that I forgot about my own birthday coming up this Sunday! When my mom asked me what I wanted to do, I only said, "What?" like an idiot! So this is like a birthday treat since I also updated on my other story "Your Unknown Color". And you know what else I forgot? Itachi! Yeah, I forgot about the poll! So let's just say a lot of people want him to die! LOL! Poor guy! He getting no love at all!

Disclaimer: LOOK AT ME! DO I LOOK LIKE I OWN NARUTO?! I'M TOO STUPID AND POOR FOR THAT! I'LL DESTROY A GREAT SHOW! Actually I'm pretty smart, really! My GPA is 3.843! Yeah!

* * *

Chapter IX: Confusion

By: Winter's Holly

The tree silhouettes flashed by like dark shadows escaping the light. The wind whipped stingingly at his body, not permitting him to move forward. The branches snagged at his clothes and cut his face, leaving red streaks of blood flowing down his cheeks. His pants became jagged breathing as his vision blurred into nothingness. He fell to the ground, exhausted from the training he gave himself. Kneeling, he pounds his fist in the ground angrily, leaving a large dent. The bones in his hand were cracked from the impact as he hissed from the pain he inflicted upon himself.

-

_Three days later after arriving at Otogakure, Sasuke was told to immediately see Orochimaru. But instead of going to Orochimaru, Sasuke turned to his old room, ignoring the protesting Otonin. Slamming the door as loudly as he could, Sasuke dropped on his bed while propping his head in his hands. For the past two hours, he thought of things he did and the people he had left behind once more. 'Traitor.' That was what Sakura called him before they fought against one another. _

_Scoffing at the memory, the teen let out a frustrated chuckle which gradually turned into a tormented groan. 'Traitor, huh?' he thought sarcastically. 'I am a traitor. My family's full of them.' Pushing his face into the palms of his hands, closing his eyes tightly, and letting out an anguish cry, Sasuke knew what he did, he regretted deeply. He felt so guilty, as guilty as the day his family died by his brother's hands._

"Damn it!" Sasuke growled frustratingly. "What have I done?"

'I pushed away the only person who loved me now she'll hate me forever,' _he thought painfully. _'Sakura, I'm so sorry.'

-o0o-

_On an unfinished bridge, mist surrounded the nins attacking one another. The sounds of birds, glass breaking, and a horrifying roar were the only things she heard as she stood in front of an old man, protecting him. The misty fog suddenly lifted making the air feel lighter. _'W-what's going on?'_ thought the girl as she took on a fighting stance for incoming attacks._

'Where am I?'_ Sakura wondered as she slowly strolled along the bridge. Crash! Jumping at the loud noise, Sakura immediately ran to the source of the sound. As soon as she arrived at the scene, she quickly screeched to a stop with eyes so wide the whites of them could be seen. _

_There in front of her was Naruto when he was twelve years old. _'Is that Naruto?What's happening to him?'_ Naruto was surrounded by a red chakra so strong, it made her shiver. The boy was unlike anything she had seen. His eyes were red with slit-like pupils; the whisker marks on his face were more defined; the nails on his hands were now claws, and he was much, much stronger than before._

_"I'll kill you!" he growled menacingly at a boy in a decorated mask across from him. From there, Naruto charged the boy and as he drew closer, he pulled his arm back to give him a powerful punch to the face. The boy was sent back toppling all over the face. Naruto continued to charge him blindly while the boy slowly stood with his mask gradually breaking off._

_As soon as the last piece of the mask broke, a beautiful face appeared with an expression of defeat and emptiness etched across his face_. 'That boy…he's so pretty, butso sad.'_ Almost as quickly he it started, Naruto stopped upon seeing his identity with his hand an inch from the boy's face._

_"Y-you're the kid I met this morning…" the blonde ninja muttered as his head slowly risen to look at the boy._

_The boy instantly frowned upon seeing Naruto hesitant. "Why did you stop?" he demanded, making Naruto angry. "I murdered you comrade…your beloved friend…and yet you still spare me?!"_

_Naruto gazed back behind at a body on the ground. It had many needles in its neck and arms and legs. Sakura moved her head in Naruto's direction and was in shock. She moved closer to the body, ignoring Naruto and the boy. _'I-it can't be…please don'tlet it be…him.'_ As her feet shuffled towards the body, the face became clearer and clearer as her anxiety and fear increased. When she was close enough, her heart stopped. Right when she took a step forward, darkness immediately engulfed her. _

"W-what's going on?! Where is everyone?!" _Sakura shouted, blinking when she_ _noticed she could talk again._ "H-hello?"

_Out of nowhere, Sakura was thrown in a different area of bridge. It was foggy again, so she had to squint her eyes to see the blur in front of her. Unconsciously, her feet brought her forward until she realized she was looking at her younger self. That time, her pink hair was much longer and she was still a genin. Seeing herself now made her scoff. _'I've changed so much since then.'

_"Huh…that super-thick mist…it's starting to dissipate…"the old man beside her younger self said._

_"Hmm!" Younger Sakura noticed something in the mist as she tried to differentiate between the two figures. "I see two people. But it's looks like they're just standing there, glaring at each other…"_

_The old man just tried to see, too. "It's hard to make out…Which one is your Kakashi-sensei?"_

_"OH! One of them's moving!" Sakura moved a little bit closer to get a good look, but what she saw wasn't what she expected. There, she saw Kakashi-sensei placing the boy down. 'Is he dead?' _she thought, but noticed Naruto. _'Naruto?'_

_Her eyes grew larger in excitement. "Naruto--! You're alive--!" she screamed, but Naruto didn't answer her. "Huh? What about Sasuke-kun? Naruto! Where's Sasuke-kun?!" _

_His breath hitched as he remembered Sasuke on the other side of the bridge. He just couldn't bring himself to answer her and so he turn away. Older Sakura looked worriedly at him and then at her younger self. _'This isn't a dream, is it? This really happened.'

_'Naruto?' Sakura could feel her face get hotter as the thing she feared most was coming true. She wanted to not believe it, but the expression on Naruto's face made it difficult to do. Her body to started to tremble at the horrible thought of Sasuke being dead._

_"…I'll stay with you so that you won't be disobeying your sensei's orders," the man assured as he took her hand. Sakura instantly tighten her hand around his as she took off running in Sasuke's direction—passing Naruto as she did so. His face was still twisted in pain._

_When the two arrived, they both gasped at his body. Sakura's mind went blank and eyes dead wide. She took a hesitant step towards Sasuke's body and kneeled as the old man turned away. Gently, her hand touched the cold skin of his face._

_"He's so cold," she muttered, trying to keep the tears in. "This isn't a genjutsu, is it?"_

_The older Sakura stood behind her younger self with a look of pity on her face. _'I felt so broken and alone when I saw his body…it's hard to believe that any of this happened.' _Sakura looked at the old man and recognized him now. _'I remember…you're Tazuna-san. We were supposed to protect you from Gato's men.'

_"Don't hold back for my sake. There are times when it's right to give in and shed some good honest tears," Tazuna tried to comfort the distress Sakura. _

_Sakura looked at the old man with an appreciative small smile. _'Thank you for being with me, Tazuna-san,' _she thought when she heard his comment._

_"I…always got perfect scores on all of my tests in school," she started, making Tazuna confused. "I memorized each and every one of the one hundred rules of conduct for ninja and shinobi. I used to write them out with pride. We had a test one day. And the question was…"_

_Tazuna looked at her, still listening intently._

_"'What is the twenty-fifth rule of shinobi conduct?' Just like always, I wrote it down," she stated as Tazuna gave a question gaze at the question until he heard a quiet sob gradually get louder. "No matter what happens, true shinobi must never…ever…show their emotions! Th-the mission is the only priority. Carry that in your heart and never, never sh-shed a tear…"she finished with a sob, dropping her head on Sasuke's chest._

_All the while, the older Sakura didn't shed a single tear and turned her gaze away as darkness swallowed her up once again. This time she was still in the same area, but this time she heard a heart beat. Blinking, she brought her gaze back to Sasuke's body and frowned. _'What's that?'

_Ba-dum…Sob…Sob_

_"Sasuke"_

_'Am I dead?'_

_Sakura frowned even more when she heard a boy's voice in her head. _'Is that Sasuke? Can I hear his thoughts?'

_Sob…sob…Sob…_

_'Sakura…?! Am I…Am I?!'_

_Sob…_

_Sakura watched as the boy slowly opened his eyes to see a crying Sakura on top of him. "…Sakura…Your arm's heavy," he murmured as Sakura looked at him with tears falling. Sasuke glanced at her questioningly before being crushed painfully to her. _

_"Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke!" the younger Sakura yelled happily while Sasuke screamed in pain._

_"Sakura…you're hurting me…"_

_"Oh! S-sorry!"_

_Sakura watched with amusement as her younger self and Sasuke sat up. She turned away with an emotionless expression her face. As she walked away from the scene, Sakura gave one last look at the memory before disappearing into the darkness._

-o0o-

"Is she okay?" a blurred voice asked.

"Hey! Look everyone! She waking up!" screamed an annoyingly loud voice.

Sakura groaned and squinted her eyes tighter, so that she wouldn't have to wake up to the loud noise. She just wanted to go back to sleep where she could just linger in her memories forever. Though, Kami-sama isn't very kind and wouldn't allow her. _'Fine, be that way!' _she thought childishly. _'Just leave me alone!'_

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! Are you awake?!" Naruto shouted loudly by her ear.

Angrily, Sakura grabbed his collar and opened her eyes begrudgingly. "Now I am," she growled maliciously.

Naruto gulped and gave a sheepish grin. "Haha…sorry about that," he apologized, nervous that she'll do something violent to him.

Tired and annoyed, Sakura let of his collar and closed her eyes while turning away from the crowd. "Leave," she ordered.

"Demo, Sakura-chan—," Naruto protested.

"Leave!" she said with more volume this time. "I don't want to see any of you."

The group was silent as they stared at her back. Deep sighs were heard as the sounds of feet moving to leave filled the room. When everyone was out, Naruto was the only one left in the room with Tsunade. Naruto gazed sadly at his friend's back while placing a hand on her shoulder. Giving a light squeeze, he then left the room without another word. As the door shut quietly, Tsunade moved towards the bed.

"Sakura," she called out, but the kunoichi didn't answer. "Sakura!"

"What the hell do you want, Tsunade?" Sakura asked disrespectfully.

Tsunade was now irked by her apprentice's behavior. "Is that how you address your superior, Haruno Sakura? Disrespect to the Hokage can get you into a lot of trouble if you don't watch your tongue," the Godaime admonished. "Now will you face me?"

Getting irritated, Sakura turned around with a glare at the same time growling. "Just tell me what you want already so I can go back to sleep," she hissed angrily.

The woman narrowed her eyes at the girl. "Why are you so angry, Sakura?"

She shrugged, aggravated by all the questions. "I just am."

"You're remembering, aren't you?" Tsunade questioned, hitting the mark since her apprentice's eyes flickered. "How much?"

"Not very," Sakura answered curtly.

_'Her answers are getting shorter and she isn't talking very much, either,' _Tsunade noted. _'She's getting back to normal, somewhat.'_

The Hokage sighed heavily, feeling all the stress coming down on her. "Alright then, I'll see you in two days," she stated, starting to make her way towards the door until Sakura stopped her.

"Nande?"

The older woman turned back and faced Sakura with a straight expression. "You have a mission. I'll explain it to you when you get better," Tsunade explained. "But right now, focus on resting. You'll need it."

After that, Tsunade left Sakura by herself in the room. Leaning back into the pillows, Sakura turned to gaze outside the window. The rain had finally stopped falling and the sun was shining brighter than ever. _'Great, sun,' _she thought sourly. _'Just what I need.'_

-o0o-

The streets of Konohagakure were now as busy as they were before, as if the several days of rain had never occurred at all. The villagers excitedly opened their shops and chattered animatedly with one another. The sky was brighter and there was no cloud in sight. The last week only seemed to be like a bad dream to everyone now. The last three days (when Sasuke left Konoha again), however, was the worst storm they ever experienced. The rivers that flowed through the village rose dangerously high—nearly high enough to cause a flood. Thankfully, the rain finally ended before anything became too disastrous.

Kakashi was walking down along the streets with his nose stuck in his orange book, amazingly not bumping into any passer bys. While strolling expertly through the streets, the Jounin felt someone following him. Knowing who it was, Kakashi changed his destination towards the teahouse. Five minutes later after arriving, the man found an empty table and took his seat. A couple of minutes after he sat, another person sat across from him.

"So how do you like the book so far?" a loud obnoxious voice asked.

Closing the book, Kakashi inhaled and gave a grin. "It's very good," he answered delightfully. "How have you been, Jiraiya?"

The Sannin laughed briefly before answering the Jounin. "Good, good! You?"

"The same," Kakashi replied curtly.

With all the pleasantries gone, Jiraiya turned serious. "The Akatsuki's seems to be on the move ever since Naruto and I returned. It's going to be more dangerous around here than it was two and half years ago."

"I see. Do you know when they'll come for him?"

The Sannin shook his head. "No. It's strange, though. When we were training, they didn't even try to make a move. But now, it's different."

"Haha! I got you!" yelled one of the children happily as he chased one of his friends with a stick.

"Oh no!" the boy cried dramatically while clutching his chest.

The two men sat and watched solemnly as the children of Konoha played. The people of Konoha lived their lives as if nothing from the outside world affected them. They just lived in ignorance.

"Wouldn't it be great if life was just as peaceful as this?" Jiraiya mused.

Kakashi lifted a lazy brow while glimpsing the old man. "Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" he asked sarcastically.

The man chuckled and sighed. "The people in this village live their lives hoping to see another day. They believe our village will be able to extinguish every fire in their lives," he said solemnly. "We can, but not without cost."

The Jounin blinked and looked at his village. "Hmm."

-o0o-

At the Ninja Academy, Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, Ino, Tenten, and Hinata were discussing a few things they have notice happening around the village. The subjects they spoke about weren't really good things, though.

"Hey, did you guys noticed how Sakura acted when she woke up this morning?" Tenten brought up.

A series of 'Mm-hmm's' and 'Hn's' were heard around the circle. "Yeah," Ino murmured sadly. "Hey, Naruto, was Sasuke really here?"

The boy was quiet for a long while until he answered. "Yeah, he was with Sakura-chan the whole time," Naruto said quietly.

Hinata then asked, "Konnani…that boy who was Sakura-chan's cousin was Sasuke-san then?"

The rest of the group gazed at Naruto, waiting for him to speak once more. He just nodded instead, not feeling in the mood to talk.

"So we're right, huh, Ino?" Tenten pointed out, making all the attention go to her and the blonde girl.

"What do you mean, you were 'right'?" Neji questioned with narrowed eyes. "You knew and you didn't tell us?"

At this, the brown-haired girl frowned. "Well, Naruto's the one who knew the whole thing, alright?! So don't go yelling at us!" she argued back and stared at the grass beneath her feet. "And, besides, we weren't really sure if it was him. So we went to see Godaime."

"And what did she say?" Shikamaru inferred.

"She said that we shouldn't jump to conclusions," Ino answered for Tenten. "Even if we were right, we shouldn't alarm the villagers."

Shikamaru groaned and leaned his head back into the grass. "Man, this just sucks. He was right under our nose the whole time and we didn't even know it."

Hinata nodded in agreement. "But, right now, that's not what we should be worry about," she whispered. The others looked curiously at her. "Sakura-chan is now slowly starting to remember."

"And that's bad how?" Naruto asked.

The girl gazed worriedly at him. "I mean, even though she's now recovering all the chakra she lost, she'll distant herself even further. And while doing so, she'll remember faster, meaning Sakura-chan is probably liable to do something rash." When she was done explaining, it only took a second for rest to understand what she meant.

Naruto looked wide-eyed at her. "You mean…?"

-

"…she'll come after Sasuke-kun and me to get her revenge," Orochimaru hissed with amusement.

"And that's when we'll attack, right?" Kabuto guessed as he pushed the bridge of his glasses up.

Orochimaru chuckled and smiled sadistically. "Yes, but the process of her memory revival is taking while. Considering how long it's taking, it'll probably be another three or four years until she remembers everything. And I don't have that long to wait all those years."

"So you want to force all of her memories back instead, then?" the young medic guessed again.

"You really are sharp, aren't you, Kabuto?" he laughed. "Yes, and I want you to do that. I'll be there when you do it, though. It would be amusing to watch her wreath in agony."

Kabuto only remained silent. "Are you going to bring Sasuke?"

The man leaned into the palm of his hand as he gazed into the fireplace with a smile. "I don't know really," he said and gaze at Kabuto from the corner of his eye. "What do you think? Should we bring him?"

"I would like to leave that decision to you," he said instead which only made Orochimaru laugh. Unbeknownst to him, Sasuke was actually standing behind the door, listening to his conversation. After hearing, Sasuke stealthily sneaked away back to his room. When he shut the door, he slammed his fist sideways at the wall.

_'That bastard! He's going to make me watch Sakura get tortured!' _Sasuke thought angrily. His room was dark as usual and the wind flapped the curtains wildly, revealing the now orange sky. Strolling towards it, Sasuke sat on the windowsill and gazed at the setting sun. _'Sakura…'_

-o0o-

Back in Konoha at the hospital, Sakura suddenly opened her eyes and snapped to a sitting position. Looking around her room, she noticed it was dark now and looked out the window. There was no moon that night as she narrowed her eyes. _'What was that…?' _she thought suspiciously. _'Someone called me, but who?'_

_-_

Two days after what Sakura experienced in the hospital, she was released. When she was done filling out the paper works, Sakura slowly stepped out into the bright sun. Squinting from the bright light, the kunoichi used her hand to shield her eyes. _'It's too bright!' _As she headed towards the tower, every villager eyed her with curious or cautious expressions. She was aware of them, but she chose to ignore them.

"Is that her?" one villager asked another.

The woman nodded. "Yeah. I heard she fought against _him _five days ago."

Even though, Sakura was ignoring them, she was curious as to who they were referring to. _'Wait…who did I fight against? I don't remember anything that happened during...?' _she thought, but stopped abruptly in the middle of the street. She looked at her hands as if she didn't recognize them. _'Wait…what did happen? How many years passed?' _Desperately, Sakura starting running towards the tower quickly, not noticing new looks from the villagers. _'What have I been doing all this time?!'_

_-_

"SHISHOU!" Sakura shouted loudly as she barged into the office, surprising Tsunade.

"What is it, Sakura?" she asked worriedly as she stood. "Anything wrong?"

Sakura marched up to the Hokage and slammed her hands on the desk. "Tell me, how many years passed? How old am I?" she demanded.

Tsunade blinked at her questions. _'She doesn't remember anything?'_

"Two and half years passed and you just barely turned fifteen. Why?"

Sakura backed up and stared at her teacher as if she was insane. "I'm fifteen now? What have I been doing during the two years?!"

"Sakura, don't you remember?" Tsunade asked cryptically.

Her pink brows furrowed in confusion. "Remember what?"

The woman walked up to her and placed both of her hands on her shoulders. "You told me to erase your memories two years ago," she told her calmly. _'I don't understand. She doesn't remember any of the memories of the last two years. Something happened.'_

"M-my memories were e-erased?" she stuttered. _'I don't remember anything! What happened to me?!'_

* * *

Okay, I know you're looking (more like glaring) at the screen and wondering "What the fuck?!" Yeah! So here's the explanation for her forgetfullness.

Explanation #1:

As Sakura starts remember, her old memories are trying to force their way back through her dreams. And doing so, it makes her forget what she did the years before. You following? Anyway, when the old memories return fully, so will the ones during the last two years and a half! Don't worry, she'll eventually remember what she did in the bathroom with Sasuke! snickers pervertedly But yeah, it'll take a while for her to remember every single detail, though. Like it said earlier, it'll probably take three to four years and that's why Oro will force it to come back! And that's when things get complicated and juicy! Warning though, there will be a slight, and I mean very slight SaiSaku moment. But rest assured, Sakura will fall for Sasuke again!

Okay, that's all for today class! I hope to see you again soon! Oh, if you haven't read my other fic "Your Unknown Color", please do! I need more opinions and constructive critism, even for this fic, too. So if you have anybody who likes to critisize a lot. Let them read this! It will be most appreciative. Thank you! Please review!

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


	10. Chapter X: Sakura's Mission

HEY MY LOVELY LOVELY READERS! OH HOW I'VE MISSED YOU SO! LOL! No seriously, I did miss you guys! You make me so happy! I'm so glad to be updating again! It helps get my brain off of the annoying people at work! Anyway, you'll find something interesting in this chapter wink wink! Of course, Sasuke and Sakura are going to go at it, but something else. I've added a new character from the series in this chapter who's going to be with Sakura for the next few chapters! Can you guess? He's the one we think is gay cause of his outfit. Yeah that guy! If you still don't know, think of the creepy smile! That always help me! LOL!

Anyway, I'm in love with the animated series of Shippuden, but in the manga, that chick, Karin, is bugging the living shit out of me! ARGH! Oh, how I wish she would die and go to her beloved Orochimaru! She is so freakin annoying! More annoying than Sakura! She's always all over Sasuke and praying and praying everyday and night to every entity that she will NOT be the one Sasuke will be with for the rest of his mortal being! She is a freakin whore! ARGH! And when I read chapter 352, it said that she did something to Sasuke! THE AGONY! I HOPED SHE DIDN'T MOLEST HIM WHILE HE WAS SLEEPING! THAT WOULD RUIN EVERYTHING FOR OUR LOVE FOR SASUKE AND SAKURA! shoots daggers and lasers at the pedophile woman!

Ahem! Okay, now that I got that out of my system, on with the story! Be good, don't do drugs and stay out of prison! You know who you are! (Not like I'm one to talk) Just kidding! I would never do anything like! But...you never know! Hahaha!

Disclaimer: ...take one look at me and tell me what you think...

* * *

Chapter X: Sakura's Mission

By: Winter's Holly

-

"My memories were erased." It wasn't a question, but a statement. A statement that was said with an emotionless voice and a cold, impassive glare. All of that came from the once innocent and kind now cold-hearted cherry blossom.

"That's it? No yelling, no sarcasm, or smart ass comments?" Tsunade asked incredulously, stunned that her apprentice is taking this so lightly. _'Either that or she's going to go beat something up later.'_

Sakura only shook her head in response, making Tsunade eye her warily. She abruptly turned towards the door and started walking away. The older woman didn't even bother to yell at her for walking away this time. When the door shut silently with a soft click, the Godaime let out a faint sigh. Lifting her gaze to the ceiling, Tsunade thought absently, '_I'm getting too soft.'_

-o0o-

When after she close the door, Sakura stared down the hallway on both sides. Sure that no one was around, Sakura went in the opposite direction of the exit. Instead, she wanted to go to the office that was filled with files on everyone from every to child to all the old folks in the village. After a couple of twists and turns, Sakura found herself in front of the file room. As she cautiously stepped in, Sakura switched on the lights and began her search. Throughout the whole time she was in, Sakura was trying to find information on herself—anything that would be able to tell her on her past.

All of the files she went through told her little, but they were enough to tell her what she did. Some say she took chunin exams the first time, but failed. Although, it didn't really say who her teammates were, so she kept searching. It wasn't until forty-five minutes later that she found information of her genin days. '_I was twelve years old and was on Kakashi's team. Teammates: Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke,' _Sakura read in her mind. '_Uchiha Sasuke...hmm. I wonder if there's any info on him.' _And so she began her other search on Uchiha Sasuke. _'Uchiha...Uchiha...Uchiha Itachi? I wonder who that is.'_

As she took the folder out, a few pictures fell from it and onto the floor. When she bent to pick it up, she saw what Uchiha Itachi looked like. '_Wow...that's him? Looks like he's bored.' _Flipping to the other pictures, she noted that he had the same expression in every photo. _'Not a happy guy in life, is he?' _Sakura thought carelessly. Scanning the pages, Sakura noticed her name was in the one of the papers. It said that he was also at her home with Hatake Kakashi to solve the murder of her parents. Wait, murder? Sakura hastily looked in her files and one report had a description of what happened to her eleven years ago. She checked the date on hers and the one on his. They're the same. _'Wait, that means I was only four when my parents die. Then who took care of me from there?' _Searching through the files once more, she found the names of the people of took care of her since she was four. _'Haruno Arai and Haruno Akino. Uncle and aunt of Haruno Sakura. Haruno Arai is elder brother to Sakura's father, Haruno Sora, who died the evening of November 23rd.' _The kunoichi looked up when she heard voices near the room. Quickly, she ran lightly to switch off the lights and leaned against the wall, holding her breath. '_Why the hell am I hiding for?!' _She felt stupid now, but since she got herself in the situation, she'll just have to suck it up.

"Oi! Is it true that Uchiha Sasuke was in Konoha?" one shinobi asked another.

Sakura blinked at the name she heard and pressed her ear to the door to listen better.

"Yeah! I heard he was at Haruno's place for a week. Oh and get this! Five days ago, she fought him!" the other nin said excitedly.

"No way!"

"Mm-hmm! You should've seen the pathway to the entrance! They were filled with craters! I'd hate to get on her bad side! Haha!" the man laughed.

"Yeah! She's scary when she's fighting," the other replied.

Slightly irked by their words, Sakura decided to show how scary she really was. Taking a deep breath, Sakura slowly opened the door and left her face blank as usual. Crossing her arms, Sakura cleared her throat and startled the two shinobi.

"Is there something with the way I act gentleman?" she asked impassively, while moving forward and shutting the door behind her quietly. Then she looked up and gazed at the two older men. They may be older, but she had more authority. Being the Hokage's apprentice can have its advantages. "Well? Is there?"

"N-no, Haruno-sama! Forgive us!" the joker stuttered and gave a very respective bow.

The other one also bowed lowly. "It won't happen again."

Sakura only narrowed her dark green eyes at them, and brushed past them. As Sakura strolled away, she felt the eyes of the other two on her back. Lowering her gaze to the floor while clenching her fists, she suddenly felt out of place. She was so different. While others laughed, she grimaced. While others take off and have fun, she works and trains. She wasn't the fun-loving Sakura anymore. She was only an empty hollow shell of herself. What she couldn't figure out was why she felt so empty, so out of place.

"The girl really changed, didn't she?" the joking shinobi said sadly.

The other nodded crestfallenly in agreement. "She was a sweet kid two years ago. Now she's like him."

The kunoichi instantly stopped upon hearing their words. They echoed in her head, repeating over and over. Sakura looked at her hands, wondering what these hands did over the years. They didn't look like her hands. They look too rough for her delicate hands. Sakura stared at the floor then, in uncertainty.

"Haruno-sama, you alright?"

The question caught her off guard as she snapped her head around, remembering the other two were still here. "Y-yeah, yes!" she stuttered, and started to quickly walk away from them as they gaze confusedly at her retreating form. When she burst through the door, Sakura slowed down to a stop and took in the fresh air. Inhaling, she looked at the folders in her hand and noticed she took Uchiha Sasuke's folder as well as Itachi's. Feeling like someone's watching her, Sakura started to walk away from the tower.

_'It seems like the rumors are true. The old hag is remembering.' _On one of the tower roofs, someone cloaked in an ANBU outfit stood, observing the kunoichi. When the girl was out of sight, so was he.

-o0o-

Her feet moved slowly one after the other as she stared at nothing on the dirt floor. Her mind was elsewhere as she tried to remember what she did two years ago and during the two years. Sakura stopped suddenly, feeling a week (beginning the day after Sasuke left) of frustration, which she kept bottled up, pouring out. _'First, those stupid dreams, now people thinks I'm a lunatic!' _she thought angrily. Not realizing she was already on her doorsteps, Sakura raised her fist to punch anything ahead of her—totally knocking off her door.

Blinking out of her dazed state due to the loud noise, Sakura looked down to see her door off its hinges. Glaring at it, the girl just walk on the door, picked it up with ease, and slammed it back on the door frame. Afterwards, Sakura nonchalantly went upstairs, not bothering to fix it. _'Augh...I'll just fix it later.'_

When she set the folders on her desk, Sakura went in the bathroom to wash her hands and face. Turning off the faucet, Sakura blindly reached for the hand towel to dry her face. When she hung the cloth back on the ring, she opened her eyes to see her reflection. Sakura took notice of her appearance, seeing things she didn't see before. Her hair was still short, but plainer (without the hitai-ate). Her clothes are more shorter and maneuverable and fit for a shinobi of her status. But the thing she noticed that had the biggest change was her face. It was still the same pale and delicate skin, but thinner. There was no longer any baby fat on them. It was smooth and soft like any woman's face. But it was the first time in five days that she actually seen her reflection. It was just a plain, blank, emotionless expression.

Sakura frowned, but her face only twitched lightly at the effort. She frowned harder this time, but the movement was only enough to make it look like she was in deep thought. Giving up, Sakura sighed and walked back to her bedroom or rather her aunt and uncle's room. Lying down across the mattress with her feet hovering a couple of inches off the floor, Sakura closed her eyes while throwing her right arm on her forehead. _'Man, this sucks!' _Opening her eyes once more, she looked across the room to the desk with the folders on it.

She wanted to read it really bad, but was unsure to. What if it contains something she didn't want to read? But maybe it would help greatly if she did though? Sakura sighed and dropped her head on the bed harder. _'I'll just read it later, too.'_

_Sounds of tiny footsteps rang in the darkness as Sakura found herself in another of her dream memories. The footsteps grew fainter as she tried to follow it only to be blinded by a bright strange light. Slowly opening her eyes, Sakura was revealed to a young Konoha. Glancing around, she noticed some of the buildings she seen before are still being constructed. _

'I don't even remember any of this,' _she thought absently, wandering through the streets aimlessly. _'How old was I anyway?'

_It was then that she heard it again, the footsteps. They seemed to be speeding up now as she pursued it. Sakura stopped when she came upon the familiar neighborhood where she met up with Naruto. _'Dammit! Where the hell did they go?'

_'Oh no! I'm going to be so late!' a tiny voice yelled in Sakura's mind._

The kunoichi looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was there. No one was behind her, so she shrugged and moved on. _'I hope Kaasan isn't worried!'_

_Feeling a bit annoyed, Sakura closed her eyes, trying to keep the anger in. _'This is getting really old now,_' she growled inwardly. _'Why do I always have to chase voices?'

_After a while of moving through the labyrinth of fences, Sakura finally spotted the person she was chasing. She saw that it was a little girl with pink hair in a black long-sleeved shirt and loose pants that were way too big for her tiny body. Realizing that it was her younger self she was chasing, Sakura exhaled loudly and rolled her eyes. _'Great. Another mini me, except I'm probably four right now.' _Right when she thought that, Sakura immediately stopped with eyes wide. _'Matte...I was four when my parents were killed. Does that mean I'm remembering their deaths right now?'

_Wanting to know what happened, Sakura quickened her pace to catch up. _'Geez! I ran this fast?!' _As the little girl turned a corner, Sakura heard her yelp and fall to the ground. When she got there, she saw a little boy who was about the same age as her younger self hovering over her._

_Little Sakura rubbed her bum and was about to look up when she saw a hand shot out in front of her. Scared that she was going to get hit, Sakura shut her eyes and placed her hands over her head to protect herself. Whimpering she waited for the pain to come while tears were seen oozing from the corners of her eyes._

_"G-gomen! I-I didn't mean to bump into you!" she stuttered frightened. "I'm sorry! P-please don't hit me! I won't do it again!"_

_There was nothing, but silence as the girl just sat there. The older Sakura looked at her younger self with pity. She always got picked on ever since she was little. She gazed at the younger boy. Though she couldn't see him clearly from where she stood, but she was able to pick out a few qualities. The boy had raven hair, pale skin, and very large obsidian eyes. He still had his hand stretched out, waiting for the girl to take it._

_Little Sakura hesitantly raised her head, peeking out from above her knees. She saw his tiny hand in front of her and stared at it and then at him. She blinked, letting the tears fall. The little boy tilted his head innocently, gesturing to his hand. Sakura looked at it again, and shakingly took it. With ease, the boy pulled her up, making her jump a few centimeters off the ground._

_Bowing quickly in appreciation, Sakura expressed her gratitude. "A-arigatou...uh," she stopped and looked at the boy with a questioning gaze. "What's your name?"_

_The little boy gave a small smile and ruffled her hair while shaking his head. "You're weird," he replied instead, making her face get warm and flicked her forehead. With that, he took off to his destination while waving at her. "See ya!"_

_Little Sakura stared in bewilderment at the boy's back. 'He's weird...Oh no!' she thought. 'Okaasan's going to get worried!' Then she started to take off again towards home. As Sakura watched her self run home, she remembered the little boy and looked in the direction he took off in. It was after a moment that she decided to follow him. This time instead of just pacing, Sakura ran full speed and caught up with him in no time. He was standing in front of a weapons shop with his hands on the glass, staring at the shiny weaponry._

_An older boy who looked exactly like him came up behind him. The older boy placed his hand on the younger one's head and gave a gentle smile. "You're barely turned five, you don't need weapons, yet, otoutou."_

_The little brother tilted his head all the way back so that he may gaze at his older brother, and pouted. "Nee, nee oniichan," he called. "Will you get me some?"_

_His oniichan chuckled and shook his head. "Sure, when you're old enough."_

_The boy's obsidian eyes brighten greatly upon hearing the words. "Promise, Itachi-niisan?"_

_"Hai, hai. I promise, Sasuke," Itachi replied._

_Sakura, on the other hand, was just stunned. _'That's Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke? They're so young!' _Sakura snapped out of it when she saw them walking away. _'Oi, chotto matte!' _The darkness began to swallow them as she reached her hands toward them. _'No...no! Wait! Come back! I need to ask you something! Stop!'

Sakura woke up with a start and her hands outstretched. She panted heavily as sweat slid and dripped down the side of her cheeks. Looking outside her window, Sakura realized she slept through most of the morning and early afternoon. Glancing at her clock, it read three-thirty. _'I came home around nine, so I was asleep for seven and a half hours. Joy, I won't be able to go to sleep tonight now!' _Getting up lazily from her bed, Sakura made her way to the closet and got a white spaghetti strap tank and some gray sweatpants and under garments. Dragging her feet to the bathroom, Sakura turned on the water for a hot shower. As she took off her clothes, Sakura saw the bandages around her body. _'I almost forgot about these.' _Gently, she peeled them off and threw the dirty ones in the trash. Stepping in, the kunoichi relieved herself and freed her mind from all of her troubles.

A while later, Sakura came out of the shower with a white towel still draped on her wet locks. As she threw the clothes in the laundry basket, Sakura grabbed the folders and went downstairs. When she entered the kitchen, Sakura absentmindedly grabbed an apple while trying to read the files at the same time. Just when she was just about to sit down on her large black recliner, the broken door was heard being knocked lightly.

Groaning, Sakura set the apple and folders down to answer the door. When she did, an ANBU was at her front door. She instantly closed it, knowing it was going to be a waste of time. However, the ANBU didn't think so, so stopped it with his hand.

Turning around, Sakura glared dangerously at him. "Let go. This isn't your house. I want you off my property," she growled while scowling at the guy.

"I just want to talk. That's all," he assured.

"Well, I don't want to talk to you," Sakura quickly answered while trying to closed the door. "Move."

Just when Sakura was going to smash his fingers in the door frame, the guy switched his hands to his feet. Doing so, he took of his mask, showing her his identity. "Look, it's just me."

Sakura glared even harder when she saw who it was. "Who are you, anyway?" she asked rudely, making the ANBU frown at her question.

"It's me, Sai," he answered. "Don't you remember me?"

Her face went back to its blank expression as she leaned closer to observe his features. _'He looks like _him,' she noted. Closing her eyes and leaning back, Sakura sighed. "No." And with that, she tried to close the door again, this time harder.

"Eh, you old hag! Stop!"

Her brows quirked at the insult as the corner of her lips twitched. "Oh, now you're really going to leave. And I mean it. If you don't get off my property by the count of three, I'll force you myself," she warned low and dangerously.

Sai narrowed his eyes and moved his face closer to hers. "I'd like to see you try," he said softly.

That was all it took to make Sakura snap and rip the door off. Sai only watched as it flew into the hallway of her home. The girl stomped past her recliner and leaned on the wall instead with closed eyes. "What the hell do you want?" she demanded.

Sai casually strolled over to one of her couches on took his seat. "Like I said, I just want to talk," he answered politely with a creepy smile.

Her right eye twitched at the smile. "Don't do that," she said suddenly.

"Do what?"

"That fake smile," she gritted. "I hate that...the fakeness."

The guy only smiles wider at her comment. "What do you mean? This isn't fake."

Sakura let out a loud and annoyed groan, stomping her way to Sai to yank him by his collar. "Knock. It. Off."

Sai only gently broke off her grip on his collar while patting the hand. Standing up straight, Sai towered over her. "Fine." For a while it was quiet between the two of them. Looking at her, Sai saw expression looking distant. "Sakura?"

"H-huh?" she answered intelligently. "What do you want...what's your name again?"

Rolling his eyes, Sai flicked her forehead. "It's Sai, dummy."

Sakura rubbed her slightly red forehead and glared at the boy. While glaring at him, she noticed that his actions and appearance reminded of her of someone. Her brows furrowed as she concentrated to remember who it was. _'Who does he remind me of? He flicks my forehead, has dark hair, and pale skin. Darn it! Why is it when I'm trying to remember, it never comes to me! Argh!' _

"Hey, you alive?" Sai asked, waving his hand in front of her face.

Narrowing her eyes at his hand, Sakura swatted his hand away. "Well, what do you want _Sai_?"

Sai smiled at her question and gestured for her to sit down. As she did so, however, the ANBU noticed her wary gaze. Then his smile turned gentler, making Sakura tilt her head in confusion. "Don't worry. I won't doing anything to you," he said reassuringly as he sat across from her. "I promise."

Hearing him say that sent her into another memory search. "I…I heard that somewhere," she spoke as she shifted a bit feeling Sai's intense gaze on her. "Someone promised me the same thing"—she chuckled humorlessly—"But for some reason I have no idea who told me that."

"Sakura, do you remember me?" he asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

"N-nani?"

He looked at her for a moment longer before leaning back and sighing. "Never mind. Hey, why don't you take a walk with me," Sai suggested. "You'll have to see the Hokage again, right? Come with me. I'm heading there anyways."

"Um…" Sakura glanced at her clock. _'It's four now. I might as well go. Shishou said she was going to give me a mission today.'_

Looking back at Sai, she nodded while standing up. "Sure. Just let me go get ready." With that, she left the boy by himself in the living room. The clock ticked and ticked while everything outside was more lively compared to the house. It was too quiet, not that he mind. Standing up, Sai went over to the fallen door. Looking at the hinges, he shook his head.

_'She'll have to get a new door. That woman really needs to control her strength,' _he thought, not hearing Sakura coming from the stairs. He smirked to himself. "She really is something. You don't even know how lucky you are, Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura, who was on the last step, moved back quickly and silently, blinking at what she just heard. _'What…What is he saying?' _she wondered, suddenly feeling tense now. Cautiously, she peeked from the corner, staring at his back.

"Heh, she doesn't even remember me, but that's to be expected," Sai continued, now gazing outside. After that, when he didn't say anymore, Sakura decided to come from her hiding place. The boy turned around with a fake smile plastered on his face once more. "Hey, ugly."

Even though she heard his insult, his words were still echoing in her head. So when he gave her a confused glance, she instantly turned to look at some random unimportant object in the room. "L-let's get going, alright?" she stuttered as she rushed past him.

Sai only stared at her as if there was something wrong with her. He then sighed and shook his head. "Weirdo," he muttered, trailing after her.

As they strolled to the tower together, the two shinobi were oblivious from the curious gazes thrown at them. The villagers were confused now. For the past week, they heard rumors of their cherry blossom helping out the S-class ranked criminal, Uchiha Sasuke. But now she was with an ANBU. Things really have gotten interesting these days.

"So, did we ever get along?" Sakura asked conversationally, while waiting for his answer.

Sai shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Somewhat," the dark-haired boy answered lazily. "You'd always punch and I never know why." He shook his head and looked down at Sakura with a smirk.

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she turned her head stubbornly to the side. "Liar."

Feigning innocence, Sai gasped, putting a hand on his chest as if it was in pain. "Me, a liar? I would never! Why would you say such a hurtful thing to me, Sakura-_chan_?"

The girl rolled her eyes, speeding her pace. "As if! You couldn't even feel pain even if you wanted to!"

Sai smiled a small soft smile, tilting his head slightly downward. "You're right. I don't even know what to say at a certain time. I just copy the way other people behave," Sai replied quietly, his playful expression now distant.

Sakura stopped upon listening to his words and faced him with a concerned gaze. "Sai? You okay?" she asked sincerely.

He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment before walking ahead of her without another word. Sakura glimpsed worriedly at him. _'Is there something wrong?' _she wondered, running to catch up with his long strides. _'Should I…? No, I shouldn't bother in anyone's business.'_

Sai glanced down at the girl walking beside him. Her expression cheerful earlier now morphed into unease and tension. Sighing deeply, Sai patted her head like a big brother, causing Sakura to give him a 'Are you sure you're not crazy?' kind of look. "Don't let it get to you. I'm fine," he assured her. Sakura just kept on staring at him afterwards which made him smirk. "Do you like what you see?"

Twitching at the comment, Sakura punched him in the face. "You ass!" With that, she stomped in the tower without him. "I can't believe it! And here I thought he was, at least, decent but noo! He's goes and says something like that! Geez! He has no dignity!"

When she was gone, Sai sat up and rubbed his red cheek while chuckling at her behavior. _'Oh yeah…she's something alright!'_

-

"What?! I'm busy, damn it! Leave me alone!" screamed the Hokage's voice on the other side of the office. Sakura only stared at the door uncaringly as she barged in rudely. Tsunade looked up to scream again until she noticed her student with a boy who looks remarkably like Sasuke. "Eh? Sakura? What are you doing here at this time of day? And you came with Sai as well. Do you need something?"

Honestly, sometimes the kunoichi wondered how her Shishou ever became respected if she can't even remember why she ask her student to come to her office. "Shishou, have you forgotten? You told me to come in so you could give me a mission," Sakura reminded her.

Tsunade blinked and started laughing sheepishly. "Oh yeah! I forgot! Yeah, you and Sai have a mission!"

Sakura started to nod until she heard Sai's name. "Nande? Matte, I thought it was only going to be me, not me and Sai?!" she yelled at her teacher.

The woman only waved a hand in the air, not caring. "Well, it's not a big mission. Although, I would've sent Naruto with you"—Sakura backed up a bit—"but I'd figure you'd be better off by yourself."

The girl groaned irritated. "Then why didn't you let me?"

"Because Sakura, I know you're still injured. And you tend to overexert yourself unnecessarily when you're on missions. That's why I'm having him"—Tsunade pointed at Sai, who stood quietly in the corner the entire time—"going with you to watch your every movement. And I give him permission to intervene if what ever that you're doing endangers your life. Understood?"

There was nothing but silence after her explanation. The wind, birds, and chatter of every person could be heard, even a pin being dropped. Sai walked up to the girl and leaned over her shoulder to give her a lifted brow expression. When she didn't react to his closeness, he decided to knock on her head. Nothing.

"Ugly?" he asked curiously.

_Twitch!_

"Hag?" Tsunade looked incredulously at the boy, wondering if he was sane to call her student that. _'Probably not…idiot.'_

"Granny?"

_PUNCH! _

"Tsunade! I refuse, I absolutely refuse!" Sakura yelled as she jammed her face near Tsunade's, causing her to lean back into her chair (she also ignored Sai, who was clutching his cheek in pain). "I will not work with anyone else! I only work well as a solo!" Her face was serious. There was no ounce of humor in them and the Godaime knew it. However, even though she did, there was absolutely no way she was going to let Sakura do this mission by herself—even if it was a simple one. Now that she was regaining her memories, Sakura was going to be in more danger than usual. Tsunade isn't about to let her guard down just yet.

"Sakura," she said with finality and complete authority that it stopped the kunoichi from speaking. "Now that you've been exposed, I have to keep more watch over you than before."

"Demo—," Sakura tried to argue, but Tsunade held up her hand.

"Sakura, this is for your own good. Please, for once, just listen." The Hokage looked at her apprentice and then at the boy who was staring at Sakura. When she caught his eye, she nodded at him and he did the same back. "Now then, will you cooperate?" The girl nodded silently with her emotionless mask in place. "You two have a mission, a C-ranked one at that. You will have to escort a woman to her village on the east coast of the country. It will take, at least, three days to get there. You have until that time and three more days to rest up."

Handing Sakura the folder, the woman leaned her chin atop her folded hands. "You two could read the rest while you pack. Your mission starts in thirty-five minutes. Now go," she ordered as the two headed straight for the exit. "Oh and one more thing, Sakura"—the said girl turned, waiting—"I want you to learn about the plants there—healing and poisonous."

Sakura nodded and went out the door as Sai waited for her. They didn't look at the contents, yet, until they reached a random bench and sat (Sakura anyways, Sai preferred to stand and look over her shoulder).

The contents said: Ooshima Fuu-herbalist and healer of her village "No Name Village." Sakura stopped reading for a second and was about to turn to ask Sai when she noticed how dangerously close his face was to hers. His was so close; she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek. Their lips almost brushed against each other as the two stared into each others' eyes.

Sai suddenly felt himself leaning slowly towards her pink lips as his eyes gradually move to shut. But as quickly as it started, Sakura turned her head the other way and cleared her throat. "She had five children, but two died during the last shinobi wars. Information on her husband is unknown."

When she felt him straighten up, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. _'That was close! I don't know what I would've done if he kissed me!' _she thought, feeling her face grow warm. _'But…for some reason when he did that, I saw someone else.'_

_'Sakura…'_

An image of a person suddenly flashed in her mind. At first with the blurry white background, it was hard to make him out. But as he drew closer, his face was familiar. On his back was the symbol of a paper fan. _'That's…' _A heavy weight was abruptly pulling her down by her chest. The atmosphere around her was so peaceful and light, it made her feel like going to sleep.

_'Sakura come to me,' _the voice continued to beckon her.

Sai, who turned back to Sakura, stood up immediately when he saw her trying to jump of the high bridge nearby that was over the lake. As fast as he can, Sai ran and caught Sakura by her hand, while she dangled over the bridge. "Sakura, what the hell's wrong with you?!" he yelled, still alarmed and scared that she was going to drown herself. It was then that he noticed she had a glazed look in her eyes. _'Sakura?'_

"Sakura, snap out of it! Come on! It's me, Sai! Listen to me!"

But her mind was elsewhere. In her head, Sakura could only hear a muffled voice, shouting blurrily at her. _'Who's that?' _Sakura looked down and saw the water beneath her feet. Her eyes widen and she was starting to pull herself up when the voice called again.

_'Sakura, come on. Just let go. I'll be there. I'll always be there.' _The voice then snickered softly but soon turned into an evil cackle. As Sakura snapped her head up, she could only see golden eyes that shined with cruelty and sin.

"NO! Let me go! I won't go back! I'll kill you Orochimaru!" Sakura shouted and glared at the man while Sai only gazed confusedly at her.

Mentally, Sakura continued to glare murderously at Orochimaru. _'I remember _you! _Get the hell out of my mind, you bastard!' _It was then that her inner self took over and crush Orochimaru in her hands. Feeling his spirit starting to break, Inner Sakura gripped harder, but the man made a hand sign and escaped her mind. With the silence back in her head, Sakura sighed heavily and panted.

"S-Sai?" she called weakly, too weak to lift her head.

"Yeah! Sakura, are you alright now?" he asked worried.

The kunoichi only nodded tiredly, letting Sai pulled her up with ease. Gently, he set her so that she was on his lap as he examined her. As light as a feathery touch, Sai moved Sakura's face carefully to see if she's hurt. Satisfied and seeing that she still can't walk, yet, he picks her up and carries her home while ignoring nosy stares of the people. When he arrived, Sai slowly placed her on the couch and as he turned, he stopped to stare at the door blankly. _'Okay, after I take care of her, I'll fix that dumb door.'_

Fifteen minutes later, Sai took care of Sakura and managed to put her door back in place. Walking over to the sofa, he gazed intensely at her serene face. Just by looking at her, it made him feel something he didn't recognize. He wanted to touch, hold her, but she already belonged to someone else. Sakura already gave her heart away to _him. _Sighing, the teen leaned down and softly tapped the sleeping girl's face.

"Hey, Haruno, wake up," he said softly, but she only stirred. "We're going to be late for the mission."

Sakura only turned away from him. "Sasuke-kun," she murmured quietly, but Sai still heard it. He stepped back and continued to stare at her with a pained expression as she still mumbled Sasuke's name in her sleep.

Sai scoffed as he walked into the kitchen. _'You're still with her even in her dreams,' _he thought pitifully to himself. _'Even though, she can't remember, you're always on her mind. I really do envy you, Uchiha.' _Letting out a faint sigh, he grabbed a cup for the cabinet and filled it with water. When he walked over to her sleeping form, he couldn't help but smirk really wide. Slowly he pours the water on her face. Sakura instantly shot up, tossing her head side to side. When she found the person, she gave her mostly deadliest glare—one that was almost similar to Sasuke's.

"You awake, now?" he smiled, enjoying her expression. _'For now, I'll make use for the time I have with her.' _Strolling towards the door, Sai looks at Sakura playfully then left.

_'Argh! I'm gonna kill him!' _she thought angrily, preparing for her new mission.

* * *

Okay, say it! I'm an idiot! I know! It's Sai alright! Come on! You gotta agree with me on this! He freakishly looks like Sasuke, but more girlier! And he's an asshole too! They do have some things in common! But, I think if you put them in the same room, they would have some man contest or whatever. Anyway, I know that part in the bridge must be confusing you, huh? Okay, next class session with Winter's Holly!

Explanation #2:

Sorry! That part went by really, really fast, but it had to be done. Anyway, as you probably figured out, that was Orochimaru trying to invade her mind. But all of this will be explain in the next chapter: The Secret Plan. This chapter will be Sasuke version of the day. So while Sakura's doing her memory searching up there, Sasuke going to be doing...whatever he doing. Got it? Okay, for the next few chapters I'm going to rotate being Sasuke's version, Sakura's, and the rest of the village and what not. It's just so that you'll know ever detail of what's happening to everyone in the story!

Note: Sakura will not, I repeat, WILL NOT fall in love with Sai! No, it may seem like it, but she won't. I can definitely assure you on that! Know why? Because SasuSaku rocks, that's why! And she'll be with Sasuke in the end anyway, so no worries! Though, there ARE going to be a few...okay not few but there WILL BE BUMPS along the way. Like I said, this story will take up to at least 30 to 40 chapters. If not that, probably more if I come up with anything more.

So anyways, please read and review! AND DON'T FORGET TO KILL KARIN WHILE YOU'RE AT IT! Oh! I would like to thank everyone who have read and review and kept with the story when it started! Thank you so very very much! I love you all! You guys are the best!

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


	11. Chapter XI: The Secret Plan

Hey! I'm back with chapter XI! Man, it was harder than I thought! Since it's just Sasuke in the chapter and he never talks to anyone, it was freakishly irritating! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter! There are a lot of new surprises as well! And a new character appears!

Disclaimer: Me no own!

* * *

Chapter XI: The Secret Plan

By: Winter's Holly

Two days after he thought of Sakura, Sasuke forced himself to forget her so that he could concentrate on his training. Although, he was strong enough that he no longer needed Orochimaru, he only came back so that Sakura wouldn't be harm. Just moments before, Kabuto came by and said Orochimaru had asked him come by to his lab. In response, he just grunted and shut the door in the older man's face.

Now here he sat on his bed, deciding whether he should go or not. Sasuke, as he thought, stared at the little patterns on the wall of his room. At one point, the patterns started to turn into the faces he hated: Itachi, Orochimaru, Naruto, and Sakura. The first two was pretty obvious as to why he loathe them, but the latter names were a different story.

Of course, the reason he hated Naruto was, besides him being dense, he was also much, much stronger than he is. Sasuke knew it. Everyday Naruto would grow stronger and stronger while he gets stronger little by little. Though, every nin would fear him since he could defeat a large army without ever having to do much and not get one single scratch on him.

But with Sakura, he isn't sure as to why he hated her so much, he just did. First, he would hate her with a passion, the next he's thinking about how he misses her. It was frustrating! She made him confused about what he was supposed to do. It made it even more difficult when she suddenly pops into his mind when he's training with the Sannin. However, he noticed the more he concentrated at the task at hand, his regular impassiveness returned quicker than before. Not realizing it, Sasuke was actually forgetting Sakura completely to remembering the reason why he was with Orochimaru in the first place: his revenge.

After a while of deciding, Sasuke, not wanting to go to the bastard, jumped out of his window and headed for the forest where he could continue his training. When he found an empty field, Sasuke unsheathed the katana from his back and held it in front of him with an emotionless expression. The breeze whipped around his form gently as he inhaled and exhaled evenly through his nose. The smell of fresh grass invaded his sense immediately. An image of Sakura flashed through his mind as she gave him a sincere smile. Her grin grew while she stretched her hand outward towards him.

_'Sasuke-kun!' _she said, gently bidding him to come with her.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the image, Sasuke narrowed his eyes at his weakness. His hands shook wanting to hit something, but then he released a sigh and put his katana back in its sheath. As he sat down on the soft green grass, the color reminded him of Sakura's vivid green eyes where as the flower petals reminded him of her hair. Sasuke lied back on the grass, letting himself relax even if it was just for a little while. Breathing in and out evenly, the Uchiha allowed his eyes to shut, freeing his mind, body, and soul. He let his senses take over.

He could hear the birds chirping, the wind blowing, the trees rustling, and the streams rushing clearly and the sounds were more easily differentiated. As his ears listened, his nose smelt. He smelled the fresh and strong scents of wild flowers and grass along with the scent the breeze brought. His body felt the soft gust of wind, the prickling feel of grass against his back and neck and arms. In his mind, he imagined what all his senses did. As his lips opened slightly, Sasuke let himself taste what the air brought.

_'Hmm…I don't taste anything,'_ Sasuke wondered absentmindedly. Suddenly,another image of Sakura sped through his mind's eyes, except it really wasn't something he expected. All of his senses became stronger. He could actually hear her breathing, smell her scent, see her face, taste her lips, and feel her flesh. His memories of her were fresh in his mind still after the five days he left. Their week together brought something out of him he didn't remember feeling for eight years. Still, he wasn't certain was that feeling was, yet.

Determined not to find out what that particular feeling is (for fearing that it would distract him), Sasuke opened his eyes and stood up. Giving his limbs a good stretch, the teen gazed at the field before him with a soft expression. Letting his arms drop, Sasuke inhaled the smell of the breeze one more time before leaving. By the time he was out of the woods, it was late morning. Still not wanting to come back, Sasuke delayed his trip by taking a different path that led to an unknown place in the forest.

_'There's no way I'm going to the bastard,' _he thought bitterly, traveling through the overgrown woods. As he moved deeper and deeper into the wooded area, the thicker it got. Everything started to cluster together as the canopies above blocked out the sun. The roots of large, aged trees stuck out from the ground while plants took over and grew on it. _'Damn! This is worse than that freakin place in Konoha,' _he thought angrily. But then he stopped, remembering that _that _was the place he got the cursed seal. _'Shi no Mori…yeah, that place doesn't really give me great memories, either.'_ Unconsciously, Sasuke grazed the area of skin where the cursed seal was placed on him. He glared at the ground and as he moved forward, coldly crushed a butterfly underneath his sandal. The winged insect twitched for a second longer before its life was diminished and taken by death.

Twenty-seven minutes later, Sasuke found a remote area that had an abandoned temple at the center, covered in moss and vines. Strolling over towards the broken building, Sasuke cautiously stepped over the fallen pieces. When he tried to read the sign above, it was too worn over time and blurry to decipher the characters. Carefully walking through the destroyed open doors, the nin stepped into the dark and dusty shrine.

Sasuke stared impassively at the room. He noticed that the place was a wreck as if some fighting had occurred when it was abandoned. Kneeling to the floor, Sasuke saw a dark spot on the floor there and in other areas around him. _'Someone was stabbed here as he or she struggled to get away,' _he analyzed, moving forward. _'The person…a girl, considering the space between the blood drips. Girls move slowly and don't stagger as much like men do. She was about to turn a corner until she ran into another enemy.' _

-

_The doors slammed opened as the girl tried to escape from the people who were after her. Frantically, thinking as if closing the doors would help, she was about to shut the door when a kunai was thrown and stabbed her in the left shoulder where she was already currently injured. _

_"Kuso…! Kuso! KUSO!" she screamed angrily as she grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and threw him out from whence he came. Panting heavily, she dropped her hands on her knees to support her wounded, aching body. _'Hopefully, he'd be the last one.' _Slowly, she plodded deeper in the temple, hoping to rest up before another enemy came. But fate wasn't really on her side tonight. Right when she turned to the corner on her right, another one had already showed up. _

_He snickered behind his mask as he towered over her beaten form with his large one. "Don't think you're getting away so easily, little kunoichi brat!" he sneered as he swung a large arm down. _

_Luckily, she was able to dodge the oncoming attack. She crashed into an urn and knocked it over, making the pieces fly everywhere. Her body slumped against the wall as her vision began to blur for a second. _'Dammit! I'm starting to lose my eyesight…I've lost so much blood already…' _she thought to herself._

_As the large nin straightened up, he laughed again. "Just because you dodged that one, you can't dodge another one! How can a little person like you defeat a big person like me?! You have no chance! Just give up already!" _

_Feeling angered by the insult, the girl stood up swiftly and quickly disappeared. The large nin moved causing her to punch an enormous hole in the wall instead. His eyes widen at her inhuman strength as he gasped at her power. Lowering her head and letting her hand drop, the girl spoke in a deadly tone._

_"You see, just because I'm small doesn't mean I'm weak," she stated coldly as she glared at him beneath her blood-soaked bangs. "Also, considering the rate at which you attack and dodge, you're slower than me!" Lifting her gaze, she just stared at him with the most chilling glance ever. There was no ounce of emotion in them. There was only coldness. The corner of lips twitched slightly into a small smirk. "I should just kill you right now."_

_The man shrunk in fear as the child slowly moved towards him. "P-please! Spare me!" he pleaded pathetically._

_And then…she just laughed, but cried at the same time. Soon, she was crying more and more. "Did you even spare my aunt and uncle when they begged you?! NO! Why then should _I _spare _you_?! You don't deserve to live! You cold, heartless bastard!"_

_The nin screamed watching as she raised her fist and punched him once on his skull. It only took one hit to kill him. His blood splashed on the wall behind him and a little on her. With that, she staggered away, not caring._

-

Sasuke noticed how some of the furniture in the hallway was crushed by what he could tell was a single strike. _'Man, this girl must have immense strength. There are a lot of blood splatters here. She killed the man.' _He saw the skeleton leaning against the wall and went to examine him. _'Yup, I was right. This guy was huge, but was slow. Some ninja he was. He was a…' _Sasuke squinted his eyes a bit to see the uniform and realized it was an Otonin. He looked back at the bones to see that they weren't aging, yet. The bones were still a little bit white, meaning he didn't die all too long ago—probably two or three years ago.

'_Wait, what?!' _Abruptly standing up, Sasuke followed the girl's footstep in the opposite direction of the hallway. Her steps began to stagger more as she lost more blood. The potteries on the floor were broken due to her running into it. When Sasuke held on the wall to see what the dirty red cloth was, he instead looked at the wall since he felt something crusty on it. Looking at it, Sasuke realized that the girl's handprint was of blood. The whole print was just of blood.

-

_Everything in front became like a mirage. The objects swirled, making her eyes and head hurt. The blood trailed behind her, dripping quickly as she moved. _

_"Ugh…I have to get away from this place…," she muttered, her voice cracking due to the dryness cause by the blood she vomited. Clumsily, the kunoichi ran into a few more pottery, knocking them off their stands. Almost tripping over her own foot, she held onto the wall. _'Ojisan…Obasan…Gomenasai,' _she thought agonizingly while her hand attempted to fist up. _

-

"She bled a lot," he thought out loud. The way her fingers curled on the wall showed Sasuke she was in a lot of pain as well. "She suffered a near-death torture, too."

In front of him was a dried up puddle of blood—in two different places in fact. One was upper left and the other lower right. _'She couldn't be laying on her back—no. She was on her stomach with her left hand clutching her lower wound.'_

_­_-

_Feeling the effects of blood loss now, she weakly dropped to the ground roughly on her front side with her arm still trying to stop the blood flow from her wound. She laid there for a while, wanting to close her eyes. The darkness. It was really inviting at the moment. Death was trying to lure her into his trap. The images of her aunt and uncle went through her mind. She immediately snapped her eyes open._

_"No! I won't die! Not now! I will not die!" She was determined to get out of this situation no matter what. She didn't even care if she had to drag herself out, but she was escaping this hellhole._

-

"Upper left and lower right…upper left…lower right," Sasuke kept repeating, trying to figure out while it looked familiar. "Upper…left"—his eyes widen—"lower…right?"

The girl apparently dragged herself until she was near enough by a wall so that she could support herself when she stood again. A new layer of blood was splashed on the floor when Sasuke bent down again to examine the tossed kunai. It was also caked in blood. Looking at it for a while, Sasuke decided to keep it and have Kabuto do a blood test on it. _'Now let's see what else this girl did.' _The teen kept on moving until he found a gaping hole in the wall. The direction the girl left in was south where Konoha was. She was about to escape until two other Otonin showed up and delayed her. The Uchiha strolled over to one skeleton that was facing down and observed the neck. It was broken swiftly and the same went with the other one.

-

'Stand up…stand up…Stand up!' _she forced herself. Slowly, but certainly her body moved in command to her will. But her legs still didn't want to move, however. So the only thing for her to do was stab it. Taking a kunai from her holster, she took a deep breath and plunged the kunai in both of her hamstrings. Hissing from the pain, she yanked it out and started forward once more. Though, she reached a dead end. Sighing and now feeling irritated, she punched a hole in the south wall, releasing more anger into it._

_As the wall crumbled to the ground, she moved out cautiously, checking to see if anyone was around. There was no one. Breathing a sigh of relief, the girl was about to continue when two other ninja appear._

'Are you fucking kidding me?!' _she shouted inwardly. _'Okay, I'm going to make this fast.' _Instantly, she appeared behind one ninja and twisted his neck, breaking without giving him a chance to attack. She glared at the other one and did the same. _

_Clutching her wounds, she breathed in deeply and looked towards the south. _'I'm going to go home!' _She blinked from the rising sun and looked back. She narrowed her eyes coldly at it. _'I will come back to kill you, I promise.' _With that vow, she ran from the horrid place to Konoha._

-

Standing up, Sasuke glanced back at the temple. After reading what had happened to the girl here, he wondered what happened to the people who lived here before. There must have been some priests and monks here. What happened to them? Did they move when the ninjas took over this land?

Blinking, Sasuke suddenly felt silly asking himself these questions. Shaking his head, he started to head back when he remembered the cloth in the hallway. Making his way back, Sasuke found the red cloth and started his way out. An hour after noon, Sasuke made it back to the hideout. Going to his room as he ignore the bows the others gave him, Sasuke thought about his little escapade today. _'Today was really interesting,' _he thought, shutting his door. Removing the katana from the rope and taking off his shirt, Sasuke went into the bathroom to wash his face. After he dried his face, Sasuke dug in his pocket for the cloth. When he washed it, the cloth was a color of brilliant red. But in the torn corner, he noticed that there was a white strip slightly curved.

_'Red cloth and white strip…this is part of Sakura's outfit. She was here before and…she was the one who killed those men up there.' _Looking out of his small bathroom window, Sasuke saw a couple of small blackbirds flying by. Moving into his room, the young man strolled over to the window and opened it, letting some breeze in. As he sat, a rare, pure white blackbird flew in and landed on the sill. It looked at him with its black beady eyes, tilting its head this way and that.

Sasuke held his hand out slowly so that the bird wouldn't be frightened. The bird looked at his hand for a second before hopping on and allowing Sasuke to hold it. He brought it up near his hand, so he could get a good look at it. "Usually birds would fly away from me as if they could sense all the wrongs I've done. But you come to me like you have nothing to fear," Sasuke thought out loud. He smirked a little afterwards.

"We're the same," he said to it. "While others travel in flocks, you travel alone…just like me. You're the special one while the others thought you were strange." Sasuke looked down to its tiny claws, noticing a gold band wrapped around it. "I wonder if your flock will still accept you."

Suddenly, however, the little bird flew from his hand and landed on a branch by the window. Sasuke frowned a bit when he felt an ominous charka coming from behind the door. _'And here I thought it was me. No, that bird is really smart,' _Sasuke thought as he went to put his shirt back on and katana back in place behind his back. He went over to the door to open it, hoping that it wasn't who he thought it was behind the door. As he opened it, his eyes narrowed slightly at the visitor.

It was Orochimaru with the usual sneer on his face.

"What?" Sasuke grunted rudely. Orochimaru laughed as a sweat dripped from his jaw. Sasuke lifted a brow lazily. _'He's getting weaker.'_

"Sasuke-kun, I have requested for you to come by my lab for the past five days you've been back, but my subordinates tell me that you just tell them to leave you alone," Orochimaru said with an attempted sweet voice—which didn't really work out since it only freaked the living daylights out of people.

Sasuke on shrugged nonchalantly as he stepped out of the room, quietly closing the door. "I was busy," he responded uncaringly. "What do you want?"

At this, the man grinned even wider. "Oh, I think you'll like this one. Come, follow me," Orochimaru urged, apparently excited over something.

When they arrived at the lab, Sasuke's eyes wandered over to the giant tank filled with water. It bubbled then. Sasuke looked back to see Orochimaru gazing at him. He gestured Sasuke over with a slight flick of his hand. The young man strolled over, taking his time to what looked like a big basin of shining bright green water.

Sasuke frowned at the sight of it. "This is what you wanted to show me?" he asked angrily, glaring at the Sannin and his right-hand man. "You're wasting my time." Just when he was about to turn and leave, Orochimaru let out a small chuckle, making Sasuke stop.

"Why don't you stay and watch what I'm about to do, Sasuke-kun," he cackled, now hovering over the basin. Closing his eyes, Orochimaru made a hand sign as an image appear in the basin.

Sasuke, now having curiosity getting the best of him, cautiously walked over and looked into the water. There he saw the girl he was thinking of for the past five days. Sakura was there in the water with some guy that looked amazingly like him. Not just in appearance but also the way he acts. _'What is this man planning to do?' _Sasuke glanced at Orochimaru at the corner of his eye when Kabuto gave him a bitter smile. Narrowing his eyes, he turned away and gazed into the water once more.

_"Hag?" _his look alike asked Sakura as she stood still.

_''Hag?' Why is he calling her that?' _Sasuke thought in his mind, watching as Sakura twitched a bit. _'She's going to punch him.'_

_"Granny?" _Suddenly, the guy was thrown into floor while Sakura pushed her face near Tsunade angrily (Sasuke smirked in triumph).

Sasuke and Kabuto watched Sakura as she tried to argue back.

_"Tsunade! I refuse, I absolutely refuse!" _The Uchiha watched as the girl's eyes glared coldly at her teacher. He never seen them this cold before. _"I will not work with anyone else. I only work well as a solo."_

Tsunade began explaining the situation to Sakura while Sasuke turned to look at Kabuto. "What is this? Some scrying device? How are we able to see what's going on in Konoha?"

"It's simply the same thing that the Hokages use to watch over their village. Ours can just go more than the range of this village." He looked back into the basin. "Let's keep watching."

_As Sai and Sakura exited, the kunoichi stopped. Sai gave her a bored stoic gaze, looking around them. "Anything wrong Haruno?"_

_Sakura just glared at him and suddenly shivered a bit. "I feel like…someone's watching me," she muttered, while giving him an emotionless stare._

Everyone in the lab had their eyes widen at the statement. _'She knows,' _Sasuke thought inwardly, feeling tense.

_The guy gazed around their surrounding area. He was going to say something when he saw Sakura turn around slowly and with a flick of her wrist, threw a kunai a little farther down the hall to the wall. Unexpectedly, a long red streak of blood appeared from the wall._

_"You can come out now…Naruto," Sakura said impassively as Naruto merged from the wall with a frown upon his usual cheery face. "If you're going to insist on me not going on the mission, don't talk to me."_

_The blonde shinobi narrowed his eyes at the words. "Sakura-chan, I __**need **__to speak with you. It's urgent." Usually when he spoke and demanded something of her, Sakura would just ignore him. But this time, the tone of his voice actually caught her attention._

_'I wondered what that dobe's going to tell her.'_

_Sakura strolled over to Naruto. But when she felt Sai following her, she only lifted a hand to stop him. When she was in front of him, she lifted a brow. "Well?"_

_"You're not going to kill anyone again, are you?" Naruto asked warily. "I mean it's only a C-ranked mission, after all."_

Sasuke glanced at Sakura, waiting for her answer. When he saw her lips threatened to smile, he felt this eerie chill coming from her. _'Why didn't I feel this when I was with her?' _He felt himself roll his eyes. _'Maybe because I was there with her all the time for her to do anything wrong.'_

_"Why are you so concern, Naruto? Do you think I'll go berserk again?" she asked all that with a straight face. "I told you. I promised…I swore not to lose control." She seemed more concentrated on trying to convince herself than him. Her face showed little emotion, but in her eyes was agony. "I may not remember much, though some fragments of my memory of during the years come to me when I can't remember the ones of two years before. I really wish I can apologize to the family whose lives I took. I can't ever change what happened, so I live for the rest of my days trying to redeem myself. But…it's harder than I thought…trying to be good."_

_"Gomen, Sakura-chan. I wish I could understand how you feel," Naruto whispered as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder._

_The girl closed her eyes and gave a half-hearted chuckle. "I bet you out of the original Team 7, I was the first one to actually kill someone. Well more than one actually."_

_The guy furrowed his brows upon hearing this new piece of information. "What do you mean, Sakura-chan? How do you know this?"_

_Sighing, Sakura spoke in a quieter tone. "For some reason, I know that in the depths of my soul that I've hurt the most precious people in my life and I'll never see them again." With that she turned and went back to Sai. But Naruto grabbed her shoulder before she made it all the way back to him._

_"Sakura-chan, I know I've said this before but I'll say it again." He looked at her intensely. "Whatever happens in the future, no matter how much you will hate him later or how much pain he has caused you, you have to forgive him. Don't hate him, Sakura-chan. Don't hate and just forgive."_

Both Sasuke and Sakura eyes widen at the statement as they tried to decipher the meaning to his words. _'What is he saying?' _Sasuke wondered, now frustrated.

"My, my. What do you think he could be referring to, eh, Sasuke?" Kabuto inquired while giving him a side glance.

Sasuke only shrugged his shoulders and went back to the glowing bowl of water. _'That's what I want to know. And…I wonder who Sakura killed. It's hard to believe or imagine. Sakura…ha!'_

_"Sakura, let's go or we'll be late," Sai called out, his voice louder than usual. His face showed little, but there were a few traces of irritation from the long wait. "Come on!"_

_Naruto looked down at Sakura with soft smile. "You should go or that ass is going to have a cow!" he joked while ruffling her hair. He pushed her since she didn't move. "Just go and start your mission already. Also, you'll find your jacket at the house."_

_"Demo, Naruto—!" Sai already started to pull her towards the exit of the building. Five minutes later, they were out as the smell of trees invaded their nostrils. "We should start packing."_

_"Wait. I want to read this info first," Sakura said and went forward, moving in a different direction from her home. "Let's go to the park."_

_"Why?" he complained._

_Sakura turned around and glared at him. "Because I said so." And then she continued without him. Sai stood there glaring at her for a second before groaning and running to catch up. When they arrived, Sakura sat on a random bench, waiting for Sai to sit beside her so that they could read the contents of the folder. Instead, he made his way around the bench and stood behind her. "What, you're not going to sit?"_

_He smiled at her. "No, I'm afraid that you'll punch me again," he said sarcastically, making Sakura narrow her eyes in disgust._

_"I'll punch harder if you don't get rid of that fake smile. I told you I hate that," she growled at him. _

_He only rolled his eyes and immediately his expression dissolved into an expressionless one. "Happy?" Sai asked stoically._

_"Very. Now let's see who it is that we're escorting," she suggested as Sai leaned down near her face. She grimaced. "Must you be so close? It feels annoying, irritating, and like I really want to punch you."_

_"How about you pay attention to the task at hand instead of what I'm doing?" Sai suggested instead while earning a murderous glare from Sakura._

_"Fine." And she began reading the information in her head until she read the name of the village. Her face frowned at the strange name. When she turned, she instantly stopped._

Sasuke, on the other hand, was getting angry at the guy for being so close to her. His brow twitched when he saw Sai move closer to Sakura's lips. But when he saw Sakura turn away, he let out a breath he didn't know he held. _'I swear when I see this guy, I'm going to kill him!'_

"Sakura." Sasuke looked around because the person who called Sakura wasn't him, but it _was _his voice. He then turned to Orochimaru who after a while finally smirked. Sasuke looked back in the water to see Sakura with her eyes glazed over as if she was in a trance. Realizing quickly that she was, he glared at Orochimaru and Kabuto. He watched as Sakura moved to the bridge and climbed over.

_"Sasuke…" she murmured, staring blankly at the dark, murky water._

Beside him, Orochimaru snickered, obviously thinking he was a genius or something. "It seems you're still her weakness, Sasuke-kun," he said devilishly before continuing.

_'Sakura…!' _Sasuke thought frantically, unconsciously clenching his fists in anxiety.

"Sakura come to me," Orochimaru beckoned her as she jumped. Right when he thought he got her, Sai already came to grab her hand to prevent her from falling.

_"Sakura, what the hell's wrong with you?!" the young man screamed but stopped upon noticing her eyes. "Sakura, snap out of it! Come on! It's me, Sai! Listen to me!"_

Sasuke suddenly felt disappointed in himself. Even when he was gone, he was still a danger to her. _'I'm the worst person ever.'_

_'Who's that?' _When Sasuke heard her thoughts, he thought he was going crazy. "We could hear thoughts as well?" he asked Kabuto who nodded in response. Sasuke watched the clear water become blurry and became confused.

"We're in Sakura-san's mind, if you're wondering," Kabuto stated, not taking his eyes off the basin. "Her mind is blurry right now so the guy who's helping can't be differentiated just yet. And here as she turned to look at the water, however, it's as clear as day."

"Why is that?"

"Well, Orochimaru only wants her to see you instead of other people," he explained as a smirk appeared.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the medic. "Why?"

"Since you've been on her mind constantly, it's easier to lure her into a trap."

"Sakura, come on. Just let go. I'll be there. I'll always be there." Orochimaru then started to laugh maniacally.

Sasuke's eyes glared at him in disgust while Sakura eyes widen in familiarity. _'You! I know you! You're Orochimaru!' _Sakura thought with rage.

Orochimaru laughed as he answered. "Yes, I am. I'm surprised that you would even remember me after all that have happen to you in the past. If you come back to me, I'll spare your life."

_"NO! Let me go! I won't come back! I will kill you, Orochimaru!" she swore angrily. _

"How are you going to do that when you don't even remember where my hideout is, little blossom?" he mocked.

_'I remember __**you**__! Get the hell out of my mind, you bastard!' _And suddenly the water turned black, so black you couldn't see any ounce of light at all. A small chuckle was then heard, giving them chills from the subtlety of it. _'It doesn't matter how long it would take me to find you, Orochimaru, but I will find you. I swear I will to payback what you did to my family three years ago.'_

"You remember that far? That's great!" he cackled, clapping his hands.

_'You shouldn't sound so shocked. I'm sure you were there also during my conversation with Naruto, right?' _Out of nowhere a large Sakura came from the darkness and stretched her hand out of the water to crush Orochimaru.

"W-what is this?! You shouldn't even be able to come out!" Orochimaru choked as Kabuto and Sasuke stood still in shock.

"My name is Inner Sakura. Please to meet you for the first time, Orochimaru!" she greeted with an innocent smile.

His eyes went larger. "She has two spirits?! Impossible!"

Inner Sakura giggled. "Not really. While outer Sakura is the calm and collected, I'm her deepest, darkest secret—the pump that urges her to kill or you know, I could also do good things for her as well. All I have to do is take over like what I'm doing right now."

"So this is what Naruto-kun meant if she'll kill again. You made her kill her aunt and uncle!" Orochimaru shouted, still struggling to get out.

But the inner Sakura eyes soften at the mention of Sakura killing her aunt and uncle. "No, I offered to do it, but she wanted to do it herself. I won't let you live for all the pain and suffering you caused her." Then she looked at Sasuke and smirked, making his breath hitched. "I even offered to kill you! But she said no, wanting to solve her problems on her own."

Orochimaru was screaming again as Inner Sakura tightened her grip on the Sannin. He felt a couple of bones break as well as feeling himself lose consciousness. Managing to bring one hand out, he made a hand sign, sending snakes at the inner Sakura. She let go and retreated back in the basin. The man dropped to the ground, panting from the lost of energy. Finally he collapsed. Kabuto rushed to his side and carefully supported one of Orochimaru's arms around his shoulder. After that, he left Sasuke by himself in the lab.

It was quiet for a while as Sasuke just stood there, staring at the now clear water. Slowly, he made his way towards it until it was in front of him. Activating his Sharingan, he cautiously gazed into the basin as the water rippled. There he saw that Sakura was now on her couch. In her mind he could see her dreaming of him as she murmured his name. _'Sakura, you should forget me.'_

_"Sasuke-kun," she whispered as Sai walked over to wake her up. He stopped, hearing her. His face twisted in pain as he walked off into the kitchen._

_'What's with him?' _Sasuke thought insensitively.

_'You're still with her even in her dreams. Even though she can't remember, you're always on her mind. I really do envy you, Uchiha.'_

Sasuke blinked, not really expecting that. _'I'm always on her mind? And what does he mean I'm with her in her dreams?' _Sasuke couldn't continue his train of thought when he heard Sakura gasped. Gazing back, Sakura had given Sai the scariest glare that Sasuke smirked. _'She starting to glare like me,' _he thought smugly.

_"You awake, now?" Sai asked playfully. 'For now, I'll make use for the time I have with her.'_

Sasuke's brows twitched at the thought. _'I'm seriously going to kill that guy when I have the chance.' _But he soon frowned at his thought. _'It's not like she's mine. Besides, this is the perfect chance for her to be happy.'_

_'Argh! I'm gonna kill him!' _Sasuke went back to watching Sakura as she stomped upstairs. All of a sudden, she threw off her clothes, making Sasuke's face grow warm. He instantly snapped his head in the other direction. But when he heard nothing from the basin, he cautiously turned back. His cold, hard obsidian eyes soften when he saw Sakura looking at her reflection.

She was only in her underpants with the bandages still wrapped around her torso and chest. Leaning on the vanity, Sakura lightly touched the mirror. "It's still there. I wonder who…? Was it you, Sasuke?" She touched the slightly red mark on her neck. "I wondered why you decided to leave all of a sudden. Was it because I got too close?"

Sasuke's face wasn't twisted so much from sorrow, but he did felt sorry. He wanted to be with her, but he couldn't. It was just too dangerous for her to be around him. At the moment, however, all he wanted right now was to comfort her. He didn't know how he would do it, but he would try.

Sakura started to dress in her usual outfit. Afterwards, she took her hitai-ate and tied it tightly to her head. Most of her things were packed already just incase Tsunade actually gave her a mission. As she hopped down the stairs, Sakura noticed the jacket Naruto was talking about. She was about to get it when she stopped halfway with a confused frown etched upon her face. _'Wait a second…I don't remember having a jacket! That idiot Naruto! Did he still someone's jacket again?!'_

When she took it in her hands, she noticed it wasn't a jacket at all—it was a man's haori. She rolled her eyes, thinking of Naruto. _'He needs to learn to tell the difference between a jacket and a haori. Although, I don't blame him. They are kind of the same.' _It was a black haori that was large enough for her to turn it into an outfit. It practically reached her knees. Turning it around, she saw the paper fan symbol she recognized from her dreams. Her eyes widen. _'This is Sasuke's! When did he…?' _

She smiled softly and decided to wear it since it was a bit chilly lately after the storm. When she did wear it, it really was as big as it looked. "Wow, he must be tall," she noted, hugging the haori around herself. She deeply inhaled the scent Sasuke left behind. Surprised by how strong the scent, she stretched her arms out to look at it. "It's as if he just worn it! Either that or Naruto's done something with it, knowing him." Though, after a while her green eyes soften.

"At least, I have something of Sasuke with me." When she stepped out of her house and locked it, she gazed thoughtfully at the sky. _'I hope…I will be able to forgive you when we meet again.' _

Deciding it was time to stop, Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and backed up from the basin. "I hope so, too, Sakura."

"Stop talking to yourself and spying on others, Sasuke," a new voice called. Sasuke turned around and strolled over to the giant tank of bubbling water.

"Suigetsu," Sasuke greeted with a nod.

"Yo! How's life? Is it treating you kindly?" the water spoke.

Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly and leaned his back towards the tank. As he did so, a man with pale skin and blue hair appear with half of his body still merged with the water. He is one of Orochimaru's experiments that Sasuke befriended when he came here three years ago.

"Are you going to kill Orochimaru soon?" he asked. "The ritual is coming soon, you know."

"I know," Sasuke replied offhandedly.

The man called Suigetsu smirked at his cool behavior and shook his head. "Still acting like you're the boss, eh?" he chuckled and moved a bit to the side of the tank so he could see Sasuke's face. "So what's with the pink hair girl? You and her had a fling or somethin'?"

Sasuke opened his eyes and glared at the man from the corner. "None of your business."

Suigetsu only laughed at his defense. "Alright, alright! I'm just saying! She did have a nice body, I gotta say! Very nice." He smirked seeing Sasuke glare harder at him. "You say this girl means nothing to you and, yet, you get defensive if anyone who talk or look at her, right? Man, you're possessive!"

The Uchiha rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot," he grunted.

"Well, anyways, when are you going to kill him?" the man inquired once more.

"Soon." That was all he told Suigetsu before he straightened and headed towards the door. "There's just something I need to do first before I kill him."

When he was gone, Suigetsu only shook his head at Sasuke and sighed. "Still the same as ever," he mumbled before blending in the water.

-

As Sasuke strolled down the hall, he ran into Kabuto—the person he was looking for. "Kabuto, I need you to see whose blood this is on the kunai and check any DNA on the cloth to see if it matches the blood," he ordered.

Kabuto examined the kunai and cloth before nodding. "Sure, but why?" he asked even though he already knew.

"Just do it," he said coldly and walked away. _'I need to know if Sakura was really up here and why. What did Orochimaru need her for?'_

_

* * *

_Do you like? Well, there's more to come in the next chapter with Sakura and Sai! Next Chapter XII: (can't remember title! XP;)

Please review! Thank you!

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


	12. Chapter XII: Fake Smile

Kounichiwa, minna-san! I'm back! I'm sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than most of the others. Anyways, I'm sure you'd be used to this by now, but I'm going to be a bit longer on the updating. School ends on the May 25th, so finals are also coming up, too. I'm going to have to study really hard, so I won't be back until two weeks or more. So anyway, I hope you will enjoy this chapter, despite it being short.

Also, I would like to thank everyone who has been keeping up with this story and those who actually reviewed! It makes me really happy that some people are actually reviewing. So please enjoy!

Disclaimer: Sorry, I do not own Naruto

* * *

Chapter XII: Fake Smile

By: Winter's Holly

After the mission started the day before, the two escorts, Sakura and Sai, only introduced themselves to the herbalist and that was it. Every now and then, she would ask them a question, Sai would be the one to answer because Sakura never really liked talking much when she was on missions. For her, missions were now just identify yourself, help the client, and just complete the mission at all cost (sound familiar?). Even when she would attempt to say anything at all; the words never actually came out right, so she just gave up and remain silent throughout the whole mission.

It was very early morning when Sakura woke up from leaning against a tree that served as her bed. Nowadays, she prefers to be on alert twenty-four seven after what happened to her yesterday. As the bright sun rose into the sky, the colors of pinks, oranges, yellows, blues, and purples mixed amongst each other to make the blue blanket above look serene. As the clear morning dew dripped off the tips of the vibrant green leaves, all of the creatures that lived in the wooded area woke as well.

As a gentle breeze blew by, Sakura hugged Sasuke's haori closer to herself, trying to secure the warmth it gave. While the sun gradually rises from the horizon, she watched with eyes that of an elderly person who hasn't seen sunrise for such a long amount of time that past by. Closing her eyes, Sakura inhaled the fresh scent of morning deeply. She sighed out evenly through her nose. As she leaned her pink head back against the rough bark of the tree, Sakura thought about what had occurred yesterday in her state of trance.

When her inner self had taken control over her mind and body, she remembered more of her memories than before. During her trance, however, it was like she actually reliving each and every single one of those memories. She actually felt the pain that was inflicted on her three years ago again. Each pain was more distinctive than the other.

_'I don't know what he did to me, but once I'm done with this mission, I'm going after him,' _Sakura thought determinedly. Then suddenly she remembered seeing one certain person there as well. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at her legs. _'Who was it…? Dammit! I know I remember! It was…It was…' _Clenching her eyes tightly, she forced herself to see through the hazy fog of her mind. Her eyes snapped opened when it cleared. _'It was Sasuke! He was there! Okay, so what do I remember?'_

Taking a hand to her chin, Sakura sat and thought for a while. _'Sasuke was on Team Seven with me and Naruto and…and…I was…I was always flirting with him!' _Her brows furrowed at the memory. _'Yeah and he was such an ass, too! What was I thinking?! Now…what else…' _–her eyes lowered when a certain memory came up—_'Oh yeah…how could I forget that something so important like that? Sasuke got the curse seal from Orochimaru when we were taking the chunin exams. That was so hard protecting them by myself. I thought I was going to die.' _She chuckled softly a moment later. _'I remember cutting my own hair trying to save those two morons!' _She shook her head and smirked. _'But…I know that this isn't what Naruto was talking about. He's saying that when my other memory returns, so will my old feelings of hatred for Sasuke. I wonder…what happen that made me hate him so.'_

_**'Hehehe…do you really want to know?' **_a new voice in the back of her mind asked. Then its voice softened as it continued. _**'You remember me, right?'**_

Sakura nodded at the voice and closed her eyes. _'Yes, I remember you. You helped me from that man. You're my inner self, Inner Sakura, right?'_

_**'I'm so surprised that you remembered! Anyway, if you really want to know, I can't really help you. I'm only here because of all of the feelings you kept bottled up. I'm like your…how should I say, darker side. I'm all the things you want to do and say or want, but you just don't let it out.'**_

Sakura sat and listened as her inner self spoke. _'Matte, my darker side? But I really don't like to do mean things to people. Besides, from what I remembered what you showed me yesterday, I don't really deserve to hate anyone. Not with all the things I've done in the past. It's unforgivable.'_

Inner Sakura chuckled. _**'That is what Naruto meant. You never forgive.'**_

_'I do, too!'_

_**'No, you don't,' **_she spoke back with a firm voice. _**'You may forgive for the simplest of things, but never to people who are closest to you, not even yourself. You always punish yourself. I've been watching everything from your eyes and what you do. I know, don't argue.'**_

The kunoichi sat quietly for a long while in uncertainty before speaking once more in a lowly whisper. "I don't even know myself anymore. I don't even know who I really am anymore. What good is it to remember all these things if I can't even figure out why I'm here in the first place?"

_**'Don't rush time. Everything will make sense soon. All you have to do is be patient and it will come to you. I promise, Sakura. You're not alone. You have a lot of people around you. They'll help you,' **_she assured her.

_'And what about Sasuke?' _Sakura mostly thought to herself, but Inner Sakura answered anyways.

_**'Even him. He'll be there. Not now, but he'll be by your side.'**_

_'Mat—,' Sakura_ was cut off suddenly when footsteps were heard coming nearby. Looking down at the intruder, Sakura instantly glared. "What do you want, Sai?" Ever since yesterday and her little moment by herself, Sakura's been grouchier than before—which made Sai a little bit baffled by her behavior.

"It's time for us to go," he responded before turning away with a confused look. _'I wonder what's wrong with her.'_

Sakura watched as he went away and sighed. _'All I want to know who I really am, but after talking to my inner self, I feel uncertain now. I want to know, but I'm too scared to find out what would happen in the aftermath.' _Looking at the sun—now a half circle—Sakura sighed again before jumping from the tree and landing gracefully to the ground. Taking her time to the camp, she thought about how she would go about the things that were supposedly going to happen in the future.

When she got there, Sai and their escorted were all packed and ready to continue. As she strolled over, the elder woman glanced up and gave Sakura a motherly smile. "Ohayo, Sakura-chan," she greeted kindly. "Did you sleep well?"

Sakura was just ignoring everything, but when the woman addressed to her, it was for her odd. It's been a while since anyone actually asked her that. Still a bit stunned, she answered in a polite, quiet voice. "H-hai, arigatou. Did you, Ooshima-san?"

Ooshima smiled kindly and gratefully at her question. "Yes, thank you very much for asking. However, I was somewhat worried about you sleeping by yourself, though. It's not safe for a pretty girl like you to be alone."

"You have no need to worry, Ooshima-san. Sakura can take care of herself perfectly fine," Sai answered instead, catching Sakura's bewildered gaze. "She is trained to handle situations when they got worst."

The woman sighed and shook her head. "You may call me Fuu," she told them and gazed at the both of them with sympathetic eyes. "It's amazing how such young people could do so much for people as old as us. I don't know how you could take the killing and pain that our world brings."

Sakura's eyes became half-lidded at the statement as she answered in a cold voice that seemed to regret something and felt lonely. "There are some people who can't take it at all. At first, they would seem fine. Although, on the inside, they're being ripped to pieces by their agonizingly, painful sorrow. The only way to keep your sanity is to not feel any sentimentality for the enemy and do not show any emotions." Sakura gazed at the ground, watching the ants crawl quickly by her feet. "That is rule number twenty-five. Never show any emotions. The mission is your only priority. Cast away your feelings and concentrate only on the completion of the mission."

With that, Sakura began to walk off without them. Fuu was going to say something else until Sai held her back from doing so. He smiled softly at her. "Don't try to console her," he advised. "I know you want to help, but that's not really going to help Sakura any." He then glanced at Sakura's fading back. "Sakura's not really the same person she used to be. She's really changed from the person she was before."

"What was she like?" Fuu asked politely.

"I can't tell you that because I haven't known her for very long. But I do know her long enough to know that she's changed," he replied, still looking. "Only Sakura's allowed to tell you that. It's really her decision whether to tell you or not."

Fuu nodded in understanding and began to follow Sakura. As she caught up with the kunoichi, Fuu just strolled humming and smiling brightly as if she was a child again. "So, how are you?" she asked conversationally as Sakura glared at the woman from the corner of her eye.

"What do you want?" she asked rudely, her cold demeanor returning.

The elder woman just shook her head. "Nothing! Just wanted to talk, that's all!"

Sakura sped up her pace, gradually getting annoyed. Sai, who was following slowly in the back, noticed her aggravation. _'Hmm, that's not good,' _he thought, then glanced at Fuu. _'I think she has a death wish or something. It's not good to bother Sakura when you're cheerful.' _He learned that the hard way, considering him and Naruto would always get beaten to a pulp for being too 'happy,' as she would call it. When Fuu walked faster, Sai smirked seeing Sakura close her eyes while clenching her fists. _'I wonder if she's going to hit something.'_

_BOOM!_

Sai lifted a brow and glimpsed at the tree that she just destroyed. Slowly, the tree gave way, creaking its way down as it did so. He watched as Sakura moved her head stiffly down, so that the woman wouldn't have to see her expression.

"Look, I don't want to talk. I don't _like _talking," she said through gritted teeth, keeping her eyes closed tightly. "Do me a favor and leave me _alone_." Then her fists released from their harsh tightness while Sakura looked up with cold green eyes. "Will that be hard for you, Ooshima-san?"

From the background, Sai could see from where he stood that Sakura's lips were twitching to smirk. _'Not good.' _Jogging towards them, Sai pulled Sakura back so that she was behind me. "Would you please excuse us? I need to talk to Sakura."

"Oh, please don't scold her," Fuu said worriedly. "It was entirely my fault."

Sai looked at Sakura from the corner of his right eye. She was breathing really heavily as she clutched her side. "Well…yes. But right now, I have to deal with her, so please wait and don't wander off."

He gently pulled Sakura along with him until Fuu was out of sight. Letting her lean against the tree, Sai waited for Sakura to calm down. When she was quiet, he spoke impassively. "You've been acting strange, Sakura. Anything you want to tell me?"

The kunoichi turned away, watching the mist float by. "No," she answered flatly. Sakura pulled the haori tighter around her, making Sai frowned a little. "I'm just tired."

"You were about to hurt her, weren't you?" he questioned coldly as she flinched, but made no move to respond. The shinobi narrowed his eyes. "I want to know what you and Naruto were talking about yesterday."

Instantly, her eyes turned toward him and glared murderously. "That is not any of your business. That is between Naruto and me _only. _Stay the hell out," she warned with her tone so low, you had to be close to actually hear. "You're only an ANBU. What the fuck would you know?"

"You've changed," he murmured as he glared at her.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "People always do. I'm no different."

Sai was about to say something else when Sakura got up and walked away from him. "Sakura!" he yelled angrily. "We're not done, yet!" But she kept walking away from him.

-o0o-

She was sure they were going to follow, so she kept moving without them. It was nice that way. It gave her some time to be in her own world. Her fast pace soon slowed to uncertain steps. Eventually Sakura stopped with a frown on her face, a hand clutching the blue haori tightly. It felt as if someone was watching. Chills ran down her spine as she tried to shake off the eerie feeling.

Hearing a stream bubbling near by, Sakura rushed by and took off her pack while rolling the sleeves up. Just when she was about to dip her hand in, Sakura gazed at her reflection. Her hair frame her face more than usual since she tied her hitai-ate on her neck instead. She hesitantly lifted a hand to move the locks to see her neck. The red mark wasn't there anymore. Suddenly, she felt somewhat…sad. It felt like she'll never see it again which _was _the case. But it made her feel sad in a way that was hard for her to let go. It was only thing beside the haori that reminded her of Sasuke.

She sighed and shook her head. Sakura glared at her reflection. "Stop that, Sakura. You're a shinobi and nothing else," she scolded herself, but her voice fell to a quiet murmur. "No one's waiting for you because it's all your fault. You…I have no right to love or hate anyone. Even if Uchiha Sasuke is the source of my amnesia, I really no right to hate him. I'm worse than he is."

Closing her eyes, she forgot about washing her face and just pulled her knees her to her chest, crossing her arms as she hid her face. "I miss you, Obasan and you, too, Ojisan. I wish you were here with me. Gomen. Gomenasai."

Unknown to her, Sai and Fuu were watching her behind the bushes while Sasuke watched her through the basin. Fuu, who later confided in Sai that she acted obnoxious on purpose to see if Sakura would talk to them, now felt guilty and sad for Sakura.

She sighed and turned around to go back and wait. "Let's go, Sai-kun. We should let her have her time for a while," Fuu suggested quietly. Sai nodded and followed, giving a brief at Sakura's back.

-

Sasuke found out that all he needed was water and just had to use his Sharingan to watch Sakura, instead of wasting all of his precious charka like Orochimaru did. He watched her through the water since yesterday, wanting to be there with her. But when he saw her again, she was by the stream.

His heart ached for Sakura and her pain. He turned away, not wanting to see her in the state she was in. _'Sakura, why can't you just hate me?' _Sasuke thought agonizingly, as Sakura observed the fishes swimming by.

_"I should get going now," _she sighed and was starting to get up. Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan.

-

Sakura looked up as if she felt something. Her brows furrowed at the strange feeling, but soon she shook it off. _'It's all in my head.' _When she returned, Sakura saw Sai and Fuu sitting across each other, talking quietly. As she walked up to them, they both looked up. It was Sai who came up and gently held her.

"Daijoubu desuka?" He asked sincerely, as he softly lifted her face to check and make sure.

Sakura chuckled faintly as she grabbed his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "I'm fine. I promise," she replied with a small smile. "But thanks anyway."

Sai frowned, not sure whether to agree with her or not. "You say that too much," he said instead, making Sakura's barely visible smile disappeared as it was replaced with her emotionless mask—which he regret.

"It's the only thing I can really say so that you'll believe me," she replied thoughtfully. "I can barely make a smile, so I lie. It's what I'm good at."

Sai felt like punching himself now for even saying that. Now he feels like a total ass (though, that's not really surprising). He sighed and shook his head while giving a fake smile of his own. "Me, too!" he said joyfully to make her feel better.

It worked. She smiled back and chuckled at him. "I guess we're in the same boat, huh?"

He nodded and patted her head. "Yup!"

"We should get going. We still have a ways ahead of us," Sakura suggested lightly. As she went back to Fuu, Sai followed slowly after her.

His head bowed a little as a sad expression took over. _'When are you going to smile for real, Sakura? Is Sasuke the only who could make you smile again?' _Sai thought sadly to himself, wanting to make Sakura happy. _'Can I make you happy?'_

As he thought, Sakura's mind also wandered elsewhere. _'I wonder when I'll be able to see Sasuke again. Will I even recognize him? Will I…have it in my heart to forgive him like Naruto?'_

The mission continued into the next day in silence. As they went, the future awaited for them at the end.

* * *

Thanks and please review!

Winter's Holly


	13. Chapter XIII: Discovery

Hey! Okay, so I lied! LOL! I thought it was going to take me a while to update, but lo and behold! I actually updated quicker than I thought I would! Man, I feel so proud of myself! But, dang it! I'm so angry cause I got a freakin 'B' on my math final! God, that sucks! Yeah, sure the rest is 'A's, but I lose a bet with my mom! Oh, my life is over!

Anyway, I'm quite surprised by the amount of reviews I'm getting. They just get less and less everyday! Is my writing starting to suck? Oh god! I knew it! -sits in corner of woe while poking dead spider- On my eighth chapter, you know the fighting climax one. I had a bunch of reviews on that one, that must mean you guys like fighitng scenes, maybe? O.o? Oh, well. I'm just thanking those who actually reviewed for me!

Disclaimer: Me don't own just mangas, dvds, music, um...think of later...Enjoy!

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Chapter XIII: Discovery

By: Winter's Holly

It was now noon that day as Sasuke laid on his bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. After he asked Kabuto to run that test on the blood and cloth yesterday, he hasn't even seen the medic since last night. When he tried to come in and observe, Kabuto only kicked him out, saying he needed to concentrate without people in the room. A bit irked by his command, Sasuke left without another word. He spent the rest of the morning trying to train—trying. Unfortunately, he always found that his mind would wander elsewhere to where the cherry blossom was. Sasuke grew frustrated and so while in his training with Orochimaru, he actually left the Sannin with a bunch of broken bones. He stomped to his room and slammed the door loudly, indicating that if anyone bothered him, he would beat them until they can't move. He even looked into his own basin of water to see what Sakura did that early morning, only to find that he's still terrorizing her even when he's not there! This all happened in the course of that half of the day.

Of course, he was still in a bad mood so when his door knocked, he glared at it. "Leave me alone," he grunted angrily. When there was silence, he frowned and got up to open the door to see Kabuto on the other side with an impassive expression.

"Are you done now?" the medic didn't sound too happy. It seems like he had stay up all night just to do this one favor for Sasuke.

The young Uchiha nodded and let him in as he shut the door gently. Sasuke sat on his bed while Kabuto on his couch. A moment passed before the men spoke. "So…what are the results?" Sasuke asked quietly, gazing at Kabuto from the corner of his eye.

He sighed and pushed up the bridge of glasses. "They're positive. The blood on the kunai and cloth matches. Sakura-san was here," he answered soberly while observing Sasuke from beneath his lens.

Sasuke didn't really react much like Kabuto thought he would. _'What are you going to do now, Sasuke? Are you going to kill Orochimaru now or wait?' _he wondered curiously. The young man in front of him was always so hard to read. There are things about him that makes him different from the rest of 'them.' Sasuke, in his point of view, will be able to take down Orochimaru and will probably be the strongest shinobi ever what with his Sharingan and all. But…there's something else as well. He noticed some changes in him, too. Ever since Sasuke has returned, he gets angry…but it wasn't the one he was used to. He had never seen the young man so confused before.

Kabuto thought back to when he told Sasuke to come back two weeks ago. It was really rainy that day when he visited. That day was horrible. After Sasuke told him to go back, Kabuto actually stayed back to see the outcome. He even saw the fight between Sasuke and Sakura. _'That girl's changed as well as far as I can see. The more her memories return, the more distant and cold she becomes. Her hatred for Sasuke is slowly resurfacing.' _He glanced at Sasuke to see him in deep thought. _'But…Orochimaru's planning to make the revival quicker somehow. Now I wonder what Sasuke will be able to do in a situation like that? Can he actually stand back and watch or will he betray Orochimaru as well?'_—he sighed—_'The future is still so bleak.'_

"Kabuto, do you know when she was here? Was it when…I betrayed Konoha?" Sasuke asked, murmuring. He was staring at the ground, waiting for the medic's answer. For once, he was glad to be patient. Right now, he didn't really want to know the answer. If Sakura was here at the same time he was, then he'll feel even more guilt and pain for not being able to help her.

Finally, Kabuto answered. "Yes, she was here right after you arrived. Although, you were concentrating so much on your training, you didn't even notice her chakra, did you?"

The Uchiha stiffened, realizing the meanings of Kabuto's words. He was so cold-hearted that he ignored even the screams of the prisoners in the dungeons. _'What have I done?' _he thought horrified by his actions. _'Why didn't I sense her chakra?'_

Sasuke looked up to see Kabuto staring at him. "Kabuto, I have one more question for you. Why was she here in the first place?" He couldn't bring himself to say her name right now. It felt like it would burn him if he did.

The medic shook his head. "I don't really know why, but Orochimaru wanted her here."

"And you didn't tell me this why?" his voice raising.

"Orochimaru didn't want you to be distracted by _anything._'

Sasuke went back to staring at the floor while Kabuto proceeded to the door. When he opened and was halfway out, he stopped and looked at the prodigy. "You've really changed, Sasuke. I really do hope you'll be able to kill him."

As Sasuke snapped his head up, Kabuto already left. _'What did he just say?! Does he know?' _Sasuke looked at his hands, narrowing his eyes in concentration. _'Will he stop me?' _Lifting his head again, he turned to gaze out of the window. The white blackbird was seated on the window sill as if waiting for Sasuke to come over.

He scoffed and walked over to sit and let the bird hop on his forefinger. "And here I thought you weren't coming back anymore," the young man said quietly as the bird pecked his palm softly. Sasuke sighed, gazing into the distance watching the clouds float by. _'I wonder what Sak—,'_ he caught himself and shook his head. _'No, I can't think about her. I have to concentrate on my goal. I have to kill Itachi and then probably…' _He didn't even want to think about that. Not yet, anyways. Sasuke is fifteen, so it's still awkward for him to even think much less imagine what he has or wants to do with Sakura. Though, thinking of these reasons didn't help him much, either, considering he could feel his stomach churning and his face grow warm. _'But that would only happen when Sakura forgives me and if she's ready…Sakura,' _he thought with longing. _'She said she had no right to hate me…but why wouldn't she?'_

The Uchiha then groaned in frustration and looked at the bird. It only tilted its head as if asking what was wrong. "You're like Sakura, too," he noted, half chuckling. "…Both innocent, yet not innocent at the same time."

Sasuke got up slowly and let the bird on the sill before exiting from his room. Slowly and lazily, Sasuke headed towards the lab where Suigetsu was being kept. Eventually, he arrived and entered the lab and strolled over towards the large water tank where Suigetsu started to take form.

"Wow…two visits in less than twenty four hours. I think that's a new record for you, Sasuke," the man joked while Sasuke rolled his eyes. "So, why the sudden visits lately besides the usual?"

The young man nonchalantly shrugged as he leaned against the glass. "Bored," he answered emotionlessly.

Suigetsu smirked. "Well, that makes me feel better. What am I? Something that's used to amuse you?" he asked sarcastically.

"Sure," Sasuke smirked with a certain glint in his eyes.

The man lifted a brow in interest. "Come on. Tell me. I know there's something up with you especially with that creepy look in your eyes. Is it the plan or…" He looked down to see Sasuke's reaction. "…that girl with the body?"

"Would you stop thinking about her body?" Sasuke responded, annoyed. "Why are you people so perverted?"

"Hey, I'm a man. I know a good fuck buddy when I see one," Suigetsu stated with a snicker as Sasuke made an expression of disgust.

"I'm a man, too, but I don't see Sakura like a 'fuck buddy' as you would call it," the Uchiha countered.

It was then that Suigetsu started to laugh while Sasuke remained quiet, waiting patiently for him to stop. "G-gomen! It's just really funny, considering what Karin did to you!"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't remember."

"Nani?! You're kidding, right? You've got to be kidding? How could you forget something like that?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously at Suigetsu, having enough of his jokes. "Because I can. I rather forget something unimportant like that."

The man nodded his head. "Alright, alright! Don't like be those superstitious old women! They always freak on those kinds of things. Anyway, is it about the girl or not?" he waved his hand in the air as if it was nothing.

For a while, Sasuke didn't say a word. In his mind, he thought about whether or not to ask Suigetsu about it. "Well, that girl…did you see her here at the same time I arrived?"

"Hmm? That's all?" he asked, but soon received a glare from Sasuke. "Alright! Stop glaring, already! I swear you're going to burn a hole in me! But to answer your question, I did." When Sasuke didn't answer, Suigetsu tapped on the glass. "Hmm? Oi, Sasuke, what's wrong? Why are you quiet all of a sudden? OI SASUKE!"

"When Kabuto was in here, did you see how reacted? Did he act strange in any way at all?" Sasuke finally spoke, but in a quiet, monotone voice. He glanced at Suigetsu. "Well?" he demanded, his impatience getting the better of him.

"No, he just sat when he found out. For a while, though, he was quiet and just stared into space which wasn't like him. Kabuto never got distracted like that," he answered.

Sasuke straightened up as Suigetsu watched him leave. "Alright." With that said, he just left Suigetsu without another word again.

The man in the tank sighed. "When is he ever going to learn? He can't deny his urges!" he laughed, once again disappearing with the water.

-o0o-

Sasuke marched towards Orochimaru's room while the Otonin bowed in respect or backed up against the wall in fear. Though, he ignored them like he always did. They weren't so special to him, only nuisance. After he arrived, he hid his chakra and listened behind the door first.

"Well, what did Sasuke ask you to do yesterday?" Orochimaru croaked as Sasuke could hear the strength leaving the Sannin.

He could almost see Kabuto shrug his shoulders nonchalantly. "Nothing important, really. Just some research, that's all," he answered in a calm tone while Orochimaru continued to grow angrier.

"On what?" he attempted a growled, but his words were heard as if he barely spoke at all.

"I told you. Nothing important. Now get some rest while I make your medicine," Kabuto said as Sasuke quickly moved back like he just came right when Kabuto opened the door. Lifting a brow, the medic questioned curiously, "Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

Ignoring him, Sasuke passed Kabuto into Orochimaru's room while closing the door. When it was just him and the Sannin, Sasuke just stood by the door as he eyed the man in hatred. The candles flickered wildly like it could sense the bloodlust emanating from Sasuke.

Finally, the sick man released a strangled cackle while Sasuke continued to glare at him. "What brings you here, Sasuke-kun?" he asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"Was Haruno here when I came?" Sasuke got straight to the point, not wanting to stay in the same room with the man any longer than he has to.

Orochimaru smiled crookedly as sweat dripped along side his face. "Nande? Are you interested in that girl now?"

"Just answer the damn question," he growled threateningly.

"Hai, hai!" Orochimaru sighed and tilted his head as he observed his 'student.' "She was here for about a month or two. But you didn't notice, considering you were so concentrated on your revenge. So why now? Why do you care now, Sasuke-kun?" he inquired, making Sasuke twitch in frustration. "Was it because you found out that she lost her memory of you?"

"Was it your doing?"

The man laughed at the assumption that it hurt his throat and chest from the hilarity of the question. "Dear Sasuke-kun, you really are naïve, aren't you? It wasn't my doing, but yours."

Sasuke frowned as he narrowed his eyes dangerously at the weak man. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if you haven't left, I wouldn't have taken her," he said simply while smiling devilishly with his eyes glinting brightly in amusement. "I knew eventually you'll get distracted by your thoughts, so I decided to have a little fun, you know."

"What did you do?" By this time, Sasuke's kekkei genkai was already activated, ready to attack.

"Sasuke, you needn't worry. I didn't anything to her…much," casually he said. But as soon as he finished the sentence, Sasuke's hand was around his throat in less than a second in a tight grip that couldn't be broken. "Ack!"

While the man desperately tried to get some air into his lungs, the iron grip wrapped around his neck grew tighter and tighter as he began to lose consciousness. At that very moment, Kabuto came in only to stop in mid-step when he saw Sasuke nearly achieving his goal of killing Orochimaru. As he quickly set the medicines down, Kabuto immediately went to the Sannin's aid and grabbed Sasuke's shoulders.

"Sasuke! What do you think you're doing?!" Kabuto yelled, trying to get the teen off Orochimaru.

However, Sasuke didn't even budge when he suddenly summoned a large serpent to restrain Kabuto. Now it was the medic who was being strangled by Sasuke's snake and the Sannin by Sasuke.

"Do you think you can stop me? Eh, Sasuke?" Orochimaru tried to laugh, but winced when it hurt to. "I'll make sure to give Sakura the cursed seal that I gave you! That way I'll always be there with her! Hahaha!"

Sasuke gripped harder on the man's neck, wanting to snap it right then and there. Though, in his mind, he was trying to calm his rage. _'Not yet, Sasuke! You still need him!' _his grip loosened, but not loose enough for the Sannin to break free. _'I still need to find out why he needs Sakura…' _With that to convince him, Sasuke reluctantly release his death grip and sent the serpent back.

The two older men both gasp for air at the same time and watched as Sasuke left the room quietly, but slammed the door loudly—making dust crumble to the ground. Kabuto cautiously glanced at Orochimaru to see the man just as worn out as he is.

"What did you even say to him? I've never seen him so angry," Kabuto murmured, but ignored the glare sent his direction.

"Just shut up and give me my medicine!" the man hissed, still out of breath from what happened earlier. "For now, we have to concentrate on retrieving that girl. She's vital to my plans. They won't work if she's not here!"

-o0o-

He stomped past every nin or pushed them away when they crossed his path. Right now, he wanted to be anywhere but here. He didn't want to go outside or to his room. He just wanted to go somewhere he would be alone where no one would bother him. Right as he passed an empty, dark hallway, Sasuke abruptly stopped. Moving back a bit, he realized that that was the dungeons below. The water down there was heard dripping repetitively. The sound was so clear and so loud that it felt sinister. For some reason, he wanted to go down _there. _So tentatively, Sasuke made his way to the dungeons as a feeling of tread and tension spread throughout his body.

_'This place is freakin creepy…' _he thought, looking at the blood that stained the walls. Though, even if the place was pretty dank and eerie, Sasuke thought it was cool since he was a guy and all. Yet, he also found it disgusting to see the way Orochimaru treat his prisoners. Winding through every twists and turns, one empty hall actually caught his eye. As he strolled, Sasuke noticed some seals that used to be there, wearing off. When he was in front of the door, a paper seal and a blood written seal covered the center of the enormous iron door. There were also large bolts on the door to prevent the person inside from escaping. _'But…the chains are broken, so that must mean the person locked in here is already gone.'_

Sasuke looked closely at the seal of blood and then at the paper. He narrowed his eyes and touched the red seal, slowly recognizing them. _'This is a seal that Orochimaru uses if the person is too strong for him to handle. But…I know I've been here before. The problem is when.' _The young Uchiha tilted his head back to stare at the top of the door to see another blood seal. Gradually, his memories returned to him as his brows furrowed in disbelief. Impulsively, he slammed the door opened despite its size and thickness. While scanning the area, Sasuke summoned an orb of fire into his palm so that he could see. Rushing to the back wall, he kneeled down and moved his lit palm around the surrounding area. There was when he saw the dried blood and something he really didn't expect to see: strands of pink hair and pieces of red cloths. As his eyes widen in realization, a memory flashed into his mind.

_"Sasuke, why don't you follow me." It was a suggestion, but an order. "I'll show you where the dungeons are."_

_At the time, he really didn't care, but his curiosity got the best of him. So shrugging nonchalantly, he replied in a cold tone, "I don't care."_

_As the two traveled down the flight of stairs, Sasuke glanced at the prisoners with an impassive and cold-hearted expression on the outside, but on the inside, he felt like gagging. There were some who just looked like they came from a horrible experiment. "What the hell's wrong with them?" he asked, glaring at the creatures._

_Ahead of him, the Sannin chuckled and turned to spare a glance at the twelve-year-old boy. "Those were my failed test experiments. Don't worry, though. You're not going to be one of…those." Orochimaru shook his head, facing the front once more. "No, no. You're much too special for that kind of treatment. No, you're going to be my future body."_

_Sasuke narrowed his eyes as soon as he heard the statement. "After I get my revenge," he corrected._

_"Of course, of course. Right after you get your revenge, I get your body," the man smiled deviously. They finally came to a stop in front of a large bolted door. "Ah, we're here now." Taking a kunai, Orochimaru carved an intricate seal into his right palm._

_Sasuke, on the other hand, just glared at him. _'Freakin masochist…' _Suddenly, the sounds of large bolts being unlocked rang through the empty hall. Sasuke heard the man scoffing as he opened the door. _'Why is he so damn happy?' _When the door opened, however, he heard a tiny murmur in the darkness. _

_"How are you feeling now, dear child?" he heard Orochimaru speak while his eyes concentrated on the figure that was barely visible in the dim light._

'A child? Not only is he using people for experiments, he tortures them. God, he's freakin sick!'

_"Sasuke, why don't you leave?" Orochimaru suggested in a tiny whisper._

_"Whatever," he grumbled and turned to leave. He could feel the Sannin's gaze on him until he was out of earshot…or at least that's what Orochimaru thought. Sasuke slowed his pace, so that he could listen while trying to ignore the cries of the prisoners at the same time._

_"…didn't hurt you that much during your stay here, did we?" Orochimaru asked in a disturbingly sweet voice. After a while, Sasuke didn't hear anything until he heard the prisoner screamed in a voice he recognized so very clearly._

_"Orochimaru, you bastard!" the prisoner screamed. "I fucking hate you!" The giant chains that held the girl back rattled wildly as she tried to attack the man. _

_"You're just like Tsunade. It looks like history will repeat itself!" Orochimaru laughed loudly, as the sounds echoed bouncing off the walls. "You're going to fail just like her as well. She couldn't save her loved ones. What makes you think you can?"_

_Sasuke, hearing Orochimaru leaving the cell, quickly went back to his room as he thought about what just occurred. Letting out a frustrated growl, Sasuke sat up from his bed. _'That wasn't Sakura. Just another prisoner, that's all.'

-o0o-

Sasuke slowly gaze at the strands on the floor and gently put them in his hands. Clenching his fists, he punched the wall, leaving a large dent in it. _'All this time! She was here all this time! Damn it!'_

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Well, do you likes? I hope you did! LOL! This chapter was only a page longer than the last one! Sorry! I want to get through the boring part! I hate this part of the story! It takes forever to get through! Nice, yes? Anyway, Sasuke is starting find out more about Sakura. I guess there's more to her than he thought, right? Alright, the next chapter, Sakura, Sai, and Fuu finally makes it to the end of their journey at "No Name Village", but actually being there, no. They'll make it in the end of the chapter, so sorry! "No Name Village" is Chapter XV. The next chapter,Chapter XIV is called, "Cry of a Lonely, Quiet Rage." This is when Sakura's starting to realize more things than before, also reveals her past with Itachi! Oops! Big spoiler!

Anyway, just review and I'll update faster! That's a fair deal, right there! Oh, yeah! Today's the last day of school, yeah! Okay, just _please _review, even if you don't want to. A person told me I needed self-esteem bad, so the reviews just really gives me feedback like most. So please review, so I can know if I did well or not. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


	14. Chapter XIV: Cry of a Lonely Quiet Rage

Disclaimer: I do not own whatsoever!

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Chapter XIV: Cry of a Lonely Quiet Rage

By: Winter's Holly

Waking up with a start, Sakura frantically looked around her surrounding area. When she found out that she was still in her tent, she tried to calm her beating heart. Sweat dripped from her face as the sweat on her body seeped through her clothing. When her heart finally slowed to an even rhythm, her wounds suddenly burned painfully. Sakura's hands instantly shot up to grip them as if doing so would release her from her pain. She hissed when the pain didn't go away. Falling to her side, the kunoichi curled into the fetal position as she hugged herself tightly while the cold wind blew through her.

The tears that were threatening to fall from the corners of her eyes were kept locked up tight. As she grinded her teeth, hugged herself, Sakura groaned, not letting out a cry of agony. She stubbornly let the pain take over, but she was not willing to cry. No, the old her always cried. This is the new her and the new Sakura refused to let something as trivial as this get the best of her. So for half an hour, Sakura took on the pain without making a single sound. When after the pain subsided, she staggered to her feet to get out of the tent, but fell when her legs gave up on her. For a while, she just let her body lie in the dirt as she stared at the ants that were dragging the dead carcass of a beetle.

_'Will that be me one day?' _she thought uselessly, but soon turned her head away when the thought disgusted her. Closing her eyes at the same time, sighing, Sakura shakily move her hands in front of her so that the arms were at a ninety degree angle. Painfully as she bit her bruised bottom lip, Sakura forcefully pushed herself up to a shaky pose. Turning back, she grabbed some new cleaner clothes and trudged towards the river.

It was barely morning around five-thirty from what she could tell. After, Sakura decided to make a fire, so that when she was done, she could also dry her clothes. Taking a look at the river, Sakura, taking her time, stripped herself off the bloodstained clothes. It hurt when she peeled the bandages, considering the dried blood were mixed in with the new blood. Finally, hesitantly, Sakura stepped into the cold water, gasping at the temperature of the river. _'So cold…I'm going to get even sicker!' _Begrudgingly, the girl took a deep breath and dove into the water. As she swam through the river, fishes swam away due to her intrusion. Many thoughts went through her mind as she clean herself.

_'What the hell happened yesterday? Everything was alright at first, but the next thing I knew, I was so angry at Sai for something.'_

When she resurfaced, Sakura immediately grabbed the towel she took with her and wrapped it around her body. Taking her dirty clothes, she went back to the shallow area of the bank and began washing the clothes. After she was done, she placed them over the branch that hung over the fire. Then she wore her new pair of clothes that were just like the old ones. When she was done placing every wet cloth on the branch, Sakura sat comfortably on a log and hugged her knees to her chest.

_"Oi, you ugly hag! You're going too fast! Ooshima-san can't keep up!" Sai yelled from the back while Fuu just gave a nervous chuckle._

_"I-iie, Sai-kun. Daijoubu," she tried to reason with him, but he just shook his head._

_As he sighed, he glared at the girl who was just hopping from branch to branch. _'What the hell is wrong with her? She's getting more distant lately,' _he thought in aggravation. _'Tch! Sometimes, she's so annoying!'

_"A-ah…can we rest now? It's almost dark now and I can't move any further," Fuu asked as she down on a boulder to rest her aching muscles._

_Sai nodded. "Sure, we'll stop here. I'll just tell Sakura." With that he left Fuu by herself while he went to fetch Sakura. When he caught with her and told her where they were camping at, she stopped instantly to turn and glare at him murderously._

_"What?!" the kunoichi growled furious._

_The man glared disapprovingly at her for her childish behavior. "Sakura, our client can't keep up with us or we would've been there yesterday. Now let's get back. Ooshima-san is waiting for us."_

_"The hell I'm going back! It's only three more miles, Sai," she argued back stubbornly as he sighed heavily. "I'm sure we can make it."_

_When Sai was about to argue, he noticed that Sakura's breathing was harder than usual. So for her to come with him, he grabbed her arm and started to drag her back to the camp._

_Outraged and surprised, Sakura tried to pull her arm out of his grip, but it was no use. "What are you doing?! Let me go! Sai!"_

_Ignoring her struggles, Sai just spoke in a quiet voice. "I've been giving the duty of stopping you if you push yourself by orders of the Hokage. If you do not cooperate, I'll force you one way or another."_

_Narrowing her eyes dangerously at his back, Sakura raised her right arm back and in a flash punched him, so that he was flying in the air. His body collided roughly against the trunk of a tree, snapping it in two. He dropped to the ground, but quickly moved before the tree could crush him. Staggering to his feet, Sai wrapped a hand protectively around his left shoulder._

_"Sakura, what's gotten into you?" he grunted, while the pain stung his body. "Why are you acting like this?"_

_She didn't know why, but anger was all she felt at the moment. Her fists shook furiously as she grinded her teeth—locking her jaw as no words escaped her lips. Sakura noticed a hint of hurt in Sai's eyes as she turned away, not being able to take the gaze he gave her. _

_"Gomen," she said through slightly gritted teeth. "I don't know—," Sakura was cut off when she was tossed into a tight embrace. "S-Sai? W-what are you doing?" her voice now a whisper._

_"Sakura, tell me what's wrong?" he murmured in her hair. _

_Sakura relaxed her rigid stance as she leaned into his embrace. "I wish I could. Demo…I…I don't know if I can."_

_Sai pushed her back to see her face, but all that was there was a worry-like expression. "What do you mean?"_

_The girl sighed and placed her head on his chest. "It's really hard to explain. I've been…dreaming of…things that happened to me in the past," she whispered, looking at her hand that was clutching onto his black shirt. It was then when he hugged her again, it was a very light hug. His arms were just around her, not tight but there._

'If this was Sasuke, he'd hold me like this,' _she thought absentmindedly, but then realized that Sai was, in every aspect, like Sasuke. _'I want to see him, but at the same time I don't.' _She buried her face into his chest, needing to just be held right now._

_Sai, who just held her casually, was a little surprising when Sakura returned his embrace. He really wasn't expecting that. He had thought she was still hung up on Sasuke—which she still is but he didn't know that. "Sakura, I'll make you happy if you let me," he told her quietly and caringly._

_Sakura only closed her eyes in sadness. _'If only you could, Sai. And if _I _could, I would be with you…but I can't. My heart chose a different path from yours.'

_The kunoichi pushed Sai away gently as she bowed her head in a sincere apology. "Sai, I'm sorry. But…I can't be with you." And then, Sakura went back towards the camp, leaving Sai feeling heartbroken. _

-o0o-

The day was slowly becoming late noon as the group traveled to No Name Village. While they walked, something on Fuu's information had been bugging Sakura for a while now.

Sakura glanced at the woman while lagging back so the woman could catch up. When she did, Sakura just stared straight ahead. "Ooshima-san, I've been wondering for a while now about your husband." Taking a quick side glance, the medic saw the herbalist freeze up. "I thought it was strange how information on your husband was not to be found; don't you think so as well?"

Fuu chuckled nervously. "Well, I guess you caught me."

Both of the shinobi stopped in their tracks and gave her a look that told her to continue. "You see, my husband died along time ago in the last Great War. He didn't want to be put on the memorial stone nor did he want his presence to be known, he asked the Hokage to not reveal him so that we his family could not be harmed."

Sai frowned and asked, "I can understand that, but why would he not want the Hokage to reveal his presence when he was already dead?"

The elder woman sighed, but soon felt comforted when Sakura placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Please…continue."

Fuu nodded and inhaled deeply before speaking once more. "My husband was one of the Jounin who were investigating the newly formed group "Akatsuki."

Sai was the first one to react and when he looked at Sakura, he saw that her face was as calm as ever like she had never heard of them. Slowly, but surely, a bit of emotion was expressed on her face when she figured out who they were. Though her face was cool and collected, he saw fiery anger burning in her eyes. _'I never saw her angry before. I could actually feel the bloodlust radiating off of her.'_

_'Akatsuki! I remember them now. That one man nearly killed me if it wasn't for Chiyo-sama.' _Unconsciously, Sakura's hand went to the lower right of her abdomen. _'The poison's gone now, but the wound left by _him _and Sasori combined made the pain worse. I'm going to have to go to Takigakure to find a cure for this god forsaken thing!'_

"So what did your husband find out about the Akatsuki?" Sai's question interrupted her thoughts as she, too, was curious.

Fuu glanced at Sakura with wary eyes. "I've heard you have lost your memories, am I correct?" When she didn't answer, Fuu took it as a 'yes.' "But you must have recovered most of them, considering from the rumors I heard."

"Yes I have, but what does that have to do with the Akatsuki?" the kunoichi nonchalantly inquired.

"You've heard of the Jinchuuriki, yes?"—both teens nodded—"Well, when the squad found out their true purposes…well, you know the rest."

"Were any of the members of the squad able to intercept the message to Konoha?" Sai asked seriously. It was then when Fuu shook her head sadly.

She looked at Sai and Sakura pleadingly. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Sakura only sighed and turned towards Sai. "We should get going now. I'll also tell the Hokage about what we just found out."

The ANBU gave a curt nod of his head and started to lead the way again. Sakura was beside him again with her gaze straight forward. "So? What do you think of this piece of information?"

"Not much. As far as I'm concerned, we have nothing to worry about," Sai stated quietly as he looked at Sakura. "How much of your memory is recovered?"

The girl didn't say anything at first; however, when she did, she sighed heavily and tiredly. "Probably eighty-five percent. The other fifteen percent are memories that are probably the ones I'm trying desperately trying to not remember."

The young man turned his gaze to the path, thinking about what he heard. "Sou ka. And what are these memories you're trying to suppress so very badly?"

"Like I said, they're ones trying to forget, but haven't recovered…so I don't really know."

"Do you know the outcome if you do remember?"

Sakura lowered her head and nodded slowly. In a small whisper, she said, "I'll kill Uchiha Sasuke."

Sai gave her a bewildered expression. _'She'll kill…Uchiha Sasuke?'_

-o0o-

Somewhere in Hi no Kuni, Kisame and Itachi were traveling in the rain aimlessly. Ever since Deidara mentioned a girl with pink hair, Itachi has remained quiet for the passed two weeks. Getting annoyed, Kisame groaned loudly while Itachi eyed him with one lifted brow.

"Can you just say something?!" the blue man screamed. "I know you're always quiet, but this kind of quiet is just getting on my damn nerves!"

The young man just blinked slowly and continued to move ahead. Kisame, on the other hand, just gaped at him as he ran to catch up. "Oi! Ever since Deidara said something about some girl, you went quiet! What's up?!"

"It's nothing," Itachi assured. "Like I said...just unfinished business."

It was now Kisame's turn to lift a brow, only out of curiosity. "Does she remember you?"

"No, I don't think so. She was too young, but I'm pretty sure she'll recognize me, though," he answered.

"What do you mean?"

Itachi looked at Kisame for a brief second before returning his gaze to the ground. "I think we met last time when we tried to retrieve Naruto-kun. Though, I was mostly concentrating on the fight, I did recognize her."

"Hmm. What does she have to do with you anyways?" the man asked again.

With a small smile, Itachi responded, "I killed her parents."

This time, Kisame stopped and smirked at the younger man. "Now why would you do that? How old were you then?"

"Ten years old. I had barely chunin then and she was four years old."

"How did you kill her parents?" Kisame looked at Itachi to see if any hint of emotion was present. There wasn't any.

"I just wanted to test my Sharingan on something. So why not a child? I wanted to see if I could control someone with just hypnotism," he answered. "It worked. I made the child kill her parents. I was going to kill her as well, but decided to spare her."

It was quiet amongst the two men for a long while as the rain continued to descend to the earth melancholically. The thunderclouds floated across the sky slowly, but gave off strong winds.

Finally, Kisame was the first to break the silence. "When do you think she'll come after you?"

"Soon," Itachi said in a quiet emotionless voice as he turned his head skyward and closed his eyes. _'Very soon.'_

-o0o-

In Konoha, Naruto was in a field with Kakashi and Yamato, training so that he could become stronger and finished what the Yondaime wasn't able to accomplish: the completion of the Rasengan.

Naruto once again collapsed to the ground in exhaustion after Yamato sealed the Kyuubi again. Kakashi strolled over to the teen and picked him up to bring him back so that he may get some rest. When he laid Naruto on the grass, Kakashi looked at Yamato who panting slightly.

"That was the third time today when the Kyuubi tried to take over him," the silver-haired jounin stated, sitting beside the man.

Yamato sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah, and it's wearing me out." He chuckled and took a drink from his bottle of water. "Kakashi-senpai, do you think Naruto will make it?"

"Well, after Sakura left for her mission with Sai, he's been doing nothing but train. Yeah, I'm sure he'll make it. He's not the knucklehead ninja for nothing. The cool spring breeze gently blew through the field, filling them with the scent of nature. The grass rustled as the waterfall created by Yamato made a soothing sound of peace.

"When Sai saw Sakura again, did he tell you what happened? How she reacted?" Kakashi suddenly asked.

The younger man blinked and stared at the sky. "Yes. He said that she didn't remember who he was until he introduced himself again. It took a while, but she remembered."

"I see. So her reaction wasn't very good then."

"No, Sai also told me that as her memories return, she becomes like the Sakura everyone knew when she came back from where ever she was during those one and half months."

Naruto groaned and stirred as his opened quickly only to shut when the light hurt them. Slowly this time, he squinted to see Kakashi and Yamato staring at him.

"Ow…my head hurts," the shinobi complained. "How long have I been out?"

"Surprisingly, not very long. It seems to me that you're getting used to this even though you barely started this training three days ago," Kakashi replied conversationally as Naruto stood up to give his limbs a good stretch.

Giving a sheepish grin, Naruto spoke with renewed determination. "Yoshi! Let's do it again! And this time, if I try to faint again, punch me!"

The older men just looked at him as if he grew even more stupid. "Uh, Naruto? That wouldn't be a good idea."

Seeming to not understand this, Naruto cocks his head to the right with a lifted brow. "Nande?"

Yamato sighed as he shook his head in pity for the boy. "You're already exhausted. Do you think punching would help any? We'll just make you faint faster."

"Oh well…we'll come up with something! In the meantime, let's get going!" the blonde yelled ecstatically.

Kakashi sighed and lazily got up as Naruto ran to start up the Rasengan again. _'Man, this is going to take forever…'_

-o0o-

_'Ugh…I hate this! This is taking too much damn time!' _thought a certain pink-haired kunoichi. As the day went on, Sakura's steps turned into stomps as she passed the slow walkers in front of her. _'Goddamn slow ass people!'_

Sai only rolled his eyes when he saw her glare at him from the corner of her eye. _'I swear she needs to go anger management bad!'_

"Nee, is Sakura-chan always this impatient?" Fuu asked cautiously in a whisper so that Sakura couldn't hear. What she didn't know was that the girl had enhanced hearing, so heard the question.

"Unfortunately, yes," Sai answered in a tired voice. "She is also very short-tempered as you've noticed along the mission."

The herbalist frowned worriedly at Sakura. "She must under a lot of stress. That's not healthy for her."

"Hn. Sakura is the second to best medic next to Tsunade. She could become the next Hokage if she wanted to. But knowing Sakura, saving people is her only passion."

"She must be dedicated."

Sai glanced at the woman. "Very. Sakura hates killing."

"After what happened to her, I'm sure she does," Fuu responded thoughtfully. "Demo…why did she become a ninja in the first place?"

"That…I don't really know myself."

Fuu gazed at Sakura's back, eying the Uchiha crest on the haori. "I wonder who gave her that."

"What?"

The woman pointed at the black haori adorned on Sakura's shoulders. "That. The haori. I never see her take it off."

The young man's eyes lowered to the ground as he answered. "That was given to her by Uchiha Sasuke."

Eyes widening, Fuu continued to stare at the paper fan. "Hontou ni? Isn't he the last surviving member of his clan?"

Before Sai could even answer that question, Sakura whipped around angrily. "Shut up. I can hear _every _word you're saying. Stop talking about my and Sasuke's past," she said coldly and turned back on the path. "Now hurry it up. We don't have all day."

"Sakura, stop being so impatient," Sai suggested casually, but Sakura just retorted back.

"I can be as impatient as I want, especially in this case. You two are like a bunch of old ladies reminiscing of the past," Sakura said in a disgusted tone. "We're almost there."

"Really? That was fast!" Fuu exclaimed. "I didn't even notice!"

The girl in front snorted. "Well, if you'd been paying attention, you'd probably even notice how less dense the trees have gotten. And Sai, you should have been the first person I would expect to have notice," she reprimanded. "Some shinobi you are."

Sai frowned, feeling insulted by the rude comment. "Well, it's not like you're one to talk, ugly," he countered, coldly. "To allow yourself to be in that state, you must be really _weak._"

In a flash, the kunoichi was in his face with her hand grasping his collar. "Don't," she growled, "Don't you _ever _say that to me again. I swear if you do, I will not hesitate to kill you, Sai." Her eyes were no longer the innocent bright eyes, but they were dark and dull and cold. Eyes that seen things unforgettable. Eyes that have committed sin. Eyes that are tainted with hatred, murder, and most of all guilt.

Fuu was standing beside them frozen as the two were locked in a glaring contest. Sai lost. He sighed and shrugged. "Shimeta," he drew out lazily and annoyed. "I won't call you weak anymore. Now would you get off me? I'm claustrophobic."

The girl gave one last glare before reluctantly releasing him. "Asshole," she said intentionally loud while Sai glared at her back. Then walking back, Sakura immediately jumped into the air and disappeared. After a while, they heard nothing but silence until five minutes, Sakura called out, "We're here!"

That was when Sai and Fuu started to run towards the direction of Sakura's voice. Finally getting through the irritating branches that snagged at the clothes, the gates of No Name Village stood before them like a fortress. Fuu stepped forward and gave a homesick smile as tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. Wiping them away, feeling a bit silly, she turned back to Sai and Sakura.

"Welcome to my home, No Name Village," she announced with her arms spread. As if on cue, the gates opened slowly to reveal something both ninja didn't quite expect at all. Behind the gates was a majestic city of great grandeur.

* * *

Hey, guys. Look, I'm tired and stressed out, so please bear with me. I'm not really happy at the moment by the amount of reviews I'm getting, plus I hate the fact that people are whining about how they wanted this or that to happen. If you don't like it, I'll just discontinue the story and will also discontinue the other fics. I feel like I'm absolutely wasting my time here. Really...if you want me to continue, just give me ONE good reason why I should continue. Then, maybe I'll consider. 


	15. Chapter XV: Carved

-sighs- After much consideration and persuasion, I've decided to update earlier than what I said I would. So be grateful that I'm a forgiving and nice person! Anyway, I'm a dork and decided to move chapter "No Name Village" to chapter 17 instead.

ANYWAY! Enjoy while you still can! Muwahahhahahahahahahaha!

Disclaimer: Seriously dude! I don't own anything! Geez! Get a life!

* * *

Chapter XV: Carved

By: Winter's Holly

"Welcome to my village, No Name Village," Fuu announced while chuckling at the two shinobi's expressions. "I'm sure you're expecting an explanation, right?"

Sakura blinked and brought her attention back to Fuu. "Yes, but let's go inside. Please show us the way to your home."

The herbalist nodded, entering the village with the two ninjas following her. The village was really busy and lively that day as they got ready for a certain festival. It reminded Sakura of Konoha when they were having a festival. The adults were chatting away while the children ran around playing with their friends. Her cold eyes soften slightly at the sight. They were so innocent to her. It brought backs memories of her childhood with Naruto and Sasuke now that the jutsu was broken. As they strolled down the busy and crowded streets, every man stopped to stare at the kunoichi—young and old. Even the women gazed at her beauty.

Sai, who was earlier occupied with the decorations, noticed when he only heard murmurs. Looking around, he wondered why some of the villagers were blushing. Then he saw one man pointed at his direction—well somewhat. Realization clicked in when he knew they were all staring at Sakura. Gazing at the girl beside him, to him it didn't look like she was aware of the attention she was getting. But he knew she was. Nothing escapes her notice anymore.

Ahead of them, the two heard Fuu chuckling as she turned to face them. "My, my. It seems like you the center of attraction today, Sakura-chan," she said all too pleasantly for the girl.

Sakura narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Just what I need…a fucking fan club," she muttered quietly.

Sai smirked. "Calm yourself, Sakura. You don't want to cause a scene now, do you?"

Fuu stopped and glanced Sakura then Sai and back to Sakura. "Sakura-chan, does this happen a lot in your village?"

"It used to," she answered with a tiny smirk.

Fuu was going to ask when Sai answered her unasked question. "It means Sakura here beat the living daylights out of anyone who came within a twenty feet radius near her." He said all this with that fake smile of his that made Sakura twitch a bit. "Oh, those days were just enjoyable, weren't they, Sakura?"

Scoffing at his question, she smirked lightly and shook her head. "I guess you could say that. Anyway, let's be on our way now. I don't like to wait."

The herbalist nodded and started to lead the way again until a young boy ran up to them, delaying them again. "Um…uh…" he stammered with a light blush. But he caught Sakura looking at him, his blush deepened to a darker red shade.

Blinking at his shyness, Sakura gave a small kind smile and kneeled down in front of him. "Nan desuka?" she asked in a kind gentle voice that she only reserved for children. Seeing that he was still struggling, Sakura placed a hand on his head gently as he looked up now stunned. "Daijoubu. You can just whisper in my ear, okay?"

The little boy looked uncertain at first, but was encouraged when Sakura gave him a simple smile. Taking a deep breath, he put his lips by the pink-haired girl's ear as he whispered.

Sai watched as Sakura's expression changed from surprised to kindness as the boy backed away, his face redder than before if that was possible. Then he pulled his hand from his back to give Sakura a rare blue rose (I'm talking about the Suntory rose—the world's first blue rose!). It was dark blue at the center, but as the petals moved outward, the colors turned into a bluish-lavender tint.

Gazing at the rose in awe, Sakura took it and kissed the boy on the forehead. After that, she ruffled his hair and said, "Thank you very much. I promise to take care of this rose, okay?"

Smiling brightly now, the little boy nodded and briefly he kissed Sakura on the cheek. "Bye, Onee-chan!" As the boy ran back to his friends, they punched him and ruffled his hair and whatnot.

Sai chuckled as Sakura giggled lightly.

"She touched you, man!" one of the little boys yelled.

The others shook their heads. "Forget that, she kissed you! You!"

Sai turned to the girl with a grin. "Seems like you have a new admirer Sakura," he said conversationally as they moved once more.

The girl sighed and rolled her eyes. "Is that going to be a problem for you, Sai?" she teased while Fuu up front laughed. "But, it looks like I won't be able to relax if boys are going to come up to me to declare their love every time."

Grabbing her around the waist closer to him, Sai whispered in her ear, "Don't worry. I'll protect, Sakura-_chan.­_"

She rolled her eyes and yanked his arm off her waist. "I can take care of myself, thank you," she said acidly. Then her mood shifted. "Besides, you know, I can't be with you, Sai."

Sai closed his eyes and sighed. "I know, Sakura, I know. But a friend can help, can't he?" He looked at her with caring eyes.

"Yes. Yes, he can," she answered quietly as she turned away, not being able to take his gaze. Sighing loudly, she ran a hand through her short hair. She stopped short when she felt the end of it. Her eyes darkened at the memory. _'When I cut my hair that time, it was also when Sasuke got the cursed seal from that bastard. I need to hurry and finish this mission, so I can find him and kill him.'_

Glancing at Sai from the corner of her eye through the curtain of her hair, Sakura couldn't help but narrow her eyes at him. After all, he did look a lot like the boy she knew three years ago. _'Tch! Why did he have to look so much like him? Looking at Sai only brings back my bitter memories of Sasuke. Curse this wretched life of mine!'_

"Sakura-chan!"

Snapping back into reality, Sakura saw Fuu looking at her worriedly. Lifting a brow, she asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"That's what I was about to ask you," the elder woman answered. "I was asking you something, but you didn't answer. When I looked back, your hands were bleeding."

Frowning, the kunoichi looked at her hands and they were indeed bleeding. "It's fine. I can heal it myself." When Sakura looked at Sai to see his reaction, she frowned harder when he gazed at her with an impassive expression. "I'm fine, Sai," she repeated lowly.

Though, Sai knew the meaning behind her words. It was most likely that she was threatening him if he didn't stop looking at her. He rolled his eyes and continued to walk ahead. Soon, the trio was out of the village limits and was on the outskirts. Gradually, the sounds of waves smashing against the cliff side were heard.

She didn't know why, but Sakura had a sudden urge to go see the sunset beyond the horizon. Quickening her pace, Sakura left the other two behind. Hopping from boulder to boulder, she made it by the edge of the cliff, inhaling the scent of the sea. The strong wind blew through her hair tangling as it made the haori whipped around her body. _'This reminds me of our mission in the Land of Waves,'_ she thought nostalgically, sighing sadly. _'Everything seems to be so far away now. Even the memories I'm now recovering seems distant like a fairytale.'_ She stood there for quite a while, not noticing the presence of the other two as they gazed at her sad figure. Sakura sighed sadly, touching her heart. _'But even so, they're my memories alone.' _

Looking towards the red horizon, she realized the familiarity of those words. She felt it deep within soul, knowing she said those words somewhere before. _'Somewhere before…these are my memories and no one else's,' _she repeated in her head.

Sakura closed her eyes, letting the cool ocean breeze relax her tense muscles as the warmth of the sun brought back a certain memory of her days as a genin.

_"Yoshi! Let's go get some ramen!" Naruto shouted excitedly, throwing a punch in the air as the others chuckled or smirked at his behavior. He looked at his new teammates with wide grin. "You guys coming?"_

_Sasuke smirked and shook his head. "No, I'm going home," he answered monotone._

_Everyone else glanced at the only girl the team who was busy staring at the memorial stone solemnly. For the time they've actually been together, this was the first time they seen her look mature and older than she really is. Sasuke was the only one who noticed, however, that her hands were clenched tightly as they shook. But when he gazed at her face once more, it remained unchanged._

_Kakashi went up to his student, but Sakura still didn't react to his presence until he placed a hand gently on her shoulder, slightly startling her. "Sakura, you okay?" he asked in a concerned voice._

_Said girl smile lightly and shook her head to clear her previous thoughts. Looking up to her sensei, she gave a bigger smile. "Hai, hai. Gomen, what were you saying before?"_

_Naruto bounced up to Sakura and shoved his face closely to hers like a child wanting something. "Want to eat some ramen with me, Sakura-chan?" he asked innocently, and then glared at the Uchiha behind him who also glared back. "Teme won't come."_

_The young kunoichi chuckled at his childish behavior. "Gomen, Naruto. I'm not really hungry tonight. Why don't you go on ahead and enjoy yourself, nee?"_

_The youngest pouted and crossed his arms, giving Sakura a peeved expression. "You want to go with Sasuke instead, huh? Am I right?" Naruto then sighed sadly as Sakura patted a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Nobody likes me. People always run away from me like I'm some freak," he said in a bitter and sorrowful tone. Everyone was quiet until a scoff was heard on the other side._

_The team looked at Sasuke in stunned silence. The young prodigy gazed at the blonde shinobi with annoyed eyes as he spoke, "Well, those people need to get a life. Besides, what do they know anyways? They're just bored and need something to talk about, that's all."_

_Sakura smiled softly. "Yeah, they're just jealous 'cause you're _our _little freak," she added jokingly and looked at the older man. "Right, Kakashi-sensei?"_

_The jounin shook his head at his students' methods of trying to cheer the youngest member up. "Whatever you say," he agreed and looked at Naruto. "Anyway, I'll take up that offer of yours, Naruto. My treat."_

_Naruto's bright blue eyes instantly grew brighter at the meaning of him not spending any of his money. Jumping in the air, screaming like an idiot, the shinobi completely forgotten his little depression—which _was _the plan in the first place. None of them wanted to see their happy-go-lucky friend sad._

_"Oh yeah! C'mon, Kakashi-sensei! Whoo!" he cheered as he and Kakashi walked off to Ichiraku. It soon became quiet in the training ground except for the sounds of rushing water from the bubbling stream. Sasuke was turning around to see if Sakura was going to go home or not, but she wasn't there. Looking around, he eventually noticed her going to the west side of the woods and disappeared beyond the green thicket._

_"Is she going home?" Sasuke muttered to himself as he quickly followed her. However, as soon as he took that step, he immediately caught himself and stopped instantly. Frowning, he realized he was doing the same thing he did eight years ago. He was going to follow her home again. "Matte…her house isn't that way," he mumbled, knowing that her home is in the other direction. No, he wasn't a stalker. Ever since he saw her in the park, he didn't want her to get hurt again, so followed her to make sure she was safe. "Where is she going?" Feeling curiosity getting the best of him, Sasuke followed her quietly._

_When Sakura finally stopped, she turned back and just stared at a certain bush that caught her undivided attention. She smiled softly and spoke in a gentle voice, "You can come out now, Sasuke-kun."_

_The Uchiha twitched when she called his name. _'Sh-she knew?!'_ Sasuke thought, shocked, as he slowly brought his head up to look at the supposedly weak-looking girl on his team. _'I wonder if…no! This is Sakura! She's weak, that's it. She was lucky, that's all!'

_While Sasuke was having a mind battle with himself, he failed to notice that Sakura's chakra felt closer than before. She was crouching in front of him with cheeks resting in her palms as she stared at him with large innocent green eyes._

_"Sasuke-kun?" she called out to him, only to have him nearly have a heart attack because of her. "Ah! Sasuke-kun! Daijoubu desuka?"_

_Sitting himself up, Sasuke cleared his throat and turned away so that Sakura couldn't see the tiny blush that was forming on his pale face. "I'm fine, I'm fine," he grunted, as he stood up. "You just caught me off guard, that's all."_

'And scared the living daylights out of me, too!'

_The girl giggled and walked away from him as Sasuke tried to glare a hole in her back. "Gomen, gomen," she apologized and looked back at Sasuke with a mischievous glint in her eyes—which Sasuke frowned at with suspicion. "I didn't mean to scare you!" she added teasingly._

_"Nani?!" he snapped, now feeling embarrassed. "I wasn't scared!"_

_Sakura just rolled her eyes until she was at the top of a hill. "Whatever, you big baby!"_

_"I'm not a big baby!" Sasuke growled angrily, stomping after her to find her standing on a large tree branch. His obsidian eyes narrowed while Sakura just stared at the setting sun. "Ano…nani o shiteimasuka?" he asked slowly._

_Sakura gazed down at Sasuke with a blank, but calm expression. Sighing, she gazed back at the sun. "Why don't you join me? You don't have to go home so soon, do you?"_

_Sasuke didn't answer, but looked at the sun like Sakura with a peaceful expression. Without a sigh word, he went over to the same tree and sat at the base. Closing his eyes, he let the warmth of the sun play across his clothes and skin. As he relaxed, Sakura watched him with emotionless eyes. However, her eyes soon narrowed when a thought suddenly crossed her mind._

'Will he…will he leave us some day?' _she thought melancholically when the memory of him telling her he needed to be stronger forced its way back. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus her attention on something else, but it only brought her back to the possibility of Sasuke leaving them one day. Shaking her head, she stared at the orange-red sky with a sorrowful and pained expression. _

_Giving a faint sigh, she said in a content, yet sad voice, "I hope…we'll be like this forever." Sakura looked down to see if the boy caught her meaning. _'That you don't leave us…'

_"Don't you, Sasuke-kun?"_

_She watched as his calm expression soon turned cold. "Not everything can last forever, you know," he answered harshly. But she saw his face looking like he regretted his words. Something in her face must have made him feel guilty._

_Lowering her head and closing her eyes tightly, Sakura imagined them still altogether in the future…all happy. "Wakatteiru…demo, we're only twelve, dakara…"_

_"Dakara?" Sasuke repeated softly._

_Sakura opened her eyes at his kindness towards her. Tilting her head, she jumped down from the branch and landed so gracefully in front of him without the slightest hint of sound. Quietly, she moved to sit beside him as he waited for her to continue. She knew he was staring at her, wondering why she was acting so odd, and not trying to kill him, yet—well hug him. She let out a bitter chuckle only making Sasuke frown at her behavior even more._

'She's…she is so different when she's just by herself,' _Sasuke mused thoughtfully. _'I wonder…what she does around other people is just an act. An act to hide people from the truth. The truth that she's kept secret for so long…' _Sasuke snapped back when he heard her voice again. He turned back to look at Sakura as she spoke. As he did so, Sasuke had realized something. He was the only person she would reveal her real self to. That thought made his lips twitch into a tiny smirk which didn't go unnoticed._

_Sakura didn't say anything, but just continue her statement. "What if…we never have this moment anymore? What if…everything changes?" she asked quietly, giving a side glance at Sasuke to see his expression to her next statement. "Hoshiku nai desu…I don't want anything between us to change."_

_Sasuke frowned a little when Sakura turned to him with a sad face. Sighing, he turned to look at the sun once more in a thoughtful and deep gaze. _'She makes it sound like I'm going to leave or something…' _His frown deepened when he realize what she meant. _'…will I actually leave? Will I leave Konoha to avenge my clan?'—his calm and collected mask returned—'I will. And she knows that. I'll do anything in order to get my revenge…but, what about the team? No, they'll only get in my way. I can't let anyone in…not yet.'

_"Time has to move on, Sakura, no matter how much we want it not to. It still does. We are only humans. The world and its people won't stop for us or anyone. Time won't stop. It's cruel, but it's true," he said the last part bitterly, glaring at the sun until he felt a gentle touch on his hand. Looking down, he saw Sakura's hand atop his and when he looked at her, she was gazing ahead of her. His eyes soften. "There is _nothing _we can do about it, but live through each day at a time even if it is too painful to do so." He sighed, knowing his own words were too true. The pain that he had to go through everyday would always overwhelm him despite how hard he tries to push it away. Giving a side glance, Sasuke saw Sakura give him an understanding expression. She knew the pain he went through. She felt it everyday, too. She probably felt different pains, too. But she still kept her will strong. When she smiled at him kindly, he gave her a smirk of his own, though it was less arrogant than before. "Right?"_

_Sakura chuckled half-heartedly at his words. "Hai," she sighed and looked back at the sky. The two of them have been sitting there for a while now and it was soon growing dark. "I've got to go home now or Tousan will worry," she murmured, looking at Sasuke._

_The boy stood up and held his hand out for her. "I'll take you home," he offered while she lifted a brow. He rolled his eyes. "I can't let a girl walk alone at night. Who knows what kind of perverts are out there?"_

_Scoffing, she took his outstretched hand. "Like Sensei?" she inquired._

_"That man is just strange," Sasuke grumbled, making Sakura laugh._

_He smiled, hearing her laugh for the first time. It was pleasant. It made him feel at peace, but nostalgic at the same time. He used to do that when he was younger. But after what happened to the clan, it was hard for him to do anything relaxing anymore._

_When they finally arrived at the Haruno resident, the two young ninjas went up to the porch as the light automatically turned on. Some movements were inside as Sakura's parents rushed to the door. It burst open to reveal a beautiful woman with dark brown reddish hair, hazel eyes, and a fair complexion which Sasuke assumed was her mother. He frowned, though because the Haruno looked like Sakura. There was not one similarity. However, when the father came out, it was small, but Sasuke can see a tiny resemblance. He had dirty blonde hair, dark green eyes, and his skin color looked almost like Kakashi. The only thing Sasuke could find that he and Sakura had in common were their light hair color and green eyes, but nothing else. Her father looked more like an uncle or cousin than a parent._

_"Sakura-chan!" her father grasped as he immediately embraced her. "Your mother and I were so worried!"_

_Sasuke raised a black brow at the father's actions. _'Isn't he a worry wart?'_ he thought sarcastically. _'Man, it's like he's the mother!'

_"Gomen, Otousan," Sakura sighed._

_"Sakura-chan, would your friend like to come in and join us for dinner?" the woman asked in a motherly tone._

_Sakura turned back to Sasuke who stared back at her. "Have dinner with us, Sasuke-kun," she urged gently and then smiled. Moving a little closer to him, she whispered, "You won't be alone."_

_Sasuke blinked in surprise as he gazed at her with slightly wide eyes. _'How does she know?'_ But, he couldn't continue his thought when the father took his hand and shook it._

_"Ah! So you're Sasuke-kun! My name's Haruno Arai!" the man introduced himself as he took Sakura in his arms. "Sakura's been talking quite a bit about you." Sakura, however, didn't say anything and just stare elsewhere with a calm expression._

_"And my name is Haruno Akino," the mother also introduced herself as she pushed everyone inside. "Come Sakura. Help me with dinner while the boys get to know each."_

_But Sasuke turned to protest. "Demo, I really have to go home now," he said in a tone that left no room for argument. The Haruno gaze at him as they waited for him to explain further._

_Sakura was the first one to break the silence, though. "Sasuke-kun, please stay, even if for one night," she pleaded with sad eyes._

_Not knowing what to say, Sasuke soon gave up and nodded in defeat. "Fine, for one night," he said as he glanced at her to see her smile. Inwardly, he smiled, too._

"Sakura! Sakura!" Sai called out, shaking Sakura's shoulders as she blinked and pushed him away roughly. The guy frowned while rubbing his chest. "I was just waking you up, geez."

The young woman glared at him. "You didn't have to do it so roughly, you know," she grinded out, noticing that it was dark already. "How long have I been out here? I don't even remember falling asleep."

As the two began to walk to Fuu's home, Sai answered Sakura's question, "Well, we arrived around six twenty-one and it's now ten. So you've been out here for three hours and twenty one minutes."

When they stopped in front of the little house, neither of them took a step inside. They just stood outside facing the door in silence. Both of them were determined to not be the first ones to break the quiet. However, the quietness didn't last very long when Sai gave a tired sigh and turned to look at Sakura.

"Mite," he said quietly, letting out another sigh. "I know I can't replace Sasuke in your heart and I'm not even going to try. But I just want to let you know, I'm here for you always. You know that, right?"

Stunned, Sakura didn't know how to respond to that. Sai, who loved her, was willing to stick by her even though she chose Sasuke. Lowering her head to hide her sorrow, Sakura could only nod numbly. _'Arigatou…Sai.' _

Sai, noticing her little depression, pushed her inside with a smile, "Come on, ugly. You don't want the food to get cold, do you?" he teased which made Sakura chuckle.

_'Sai is such a good friend…I don't deserve someone like him,' _Sakura thought, eating dinner with the other two. _'But…if I can't be with Sai, can I be with Sasuke?' _And that was the thought that frightened her the most.

* * *

Yeah! I hope you liked this chapter! The memory that Sakura dreams of was mentioned earlier in the story if you were wondering.

Okay! Japanese Lessons!

Nani o shiteimasuka-What are you doing?

Hoshiku nai desu-I don't want...

Yeah! Anyway, the next chapter is Sasuke! Chapter XVI: Moving Out


	16. Chapter XVI: Moving Out

Okay! Right now, I don't give a damn if I got tons of mistake right now because I wanted to get this stupid chapter done already! -sobs on knees- THANK GOD IT'S OVER! I hated this chapter so bad, I was going to delete it! I don't care if you guys hate this as much as I do, go right on ahead and FLAME IT! I DO NOT CARE! AND I FINALLY FIXED MY ERROR ON CHAPTER FIVE! MAN THAT TOOK FOREVER! AND I AM GOING TO SPEED THIS PART UP BECAUSE OUT OF THE WHOLE STORY, THIS IS THE PART I **LOATHE** THE MOST! IT SUCKED ASS!

**ON MY NEW STORY "WINTRY DAWN", I SAID I DELETED "YOUR UNKNOWN COLOR" AND IT'S TRUE! WHY? BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T GET IT ANYWHERE! -RIPS HAIR OUT IN FRUSTRATION- OH MY GOD! SCHOOL'S ALMOST STARTING FOR ME AND IT'S MY LAST YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL! I HOPE I'LL SURVIVE BECAUSE I HAD TO BE SMART AND TOOK ALL THE HARD ASS CLASSES! FOR EXAMPLE, AP CLASSES, PRE CALCULUS, CHEMISTRY, ANATOMY AND PHYSICIOLOGY, AND ALL THAT GOOD SHIT! ARGH!**

ANYWAY, YOU GUYS SHOULD READ MY NEW STORY! I DIDN'T SAY WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT, BUT I'M MAKING YOU GUESS! YES, I'M MEAN AND DAMN PROUD! SO FAR, NO BODY HAS ANY IDEA WHAT IT IS! HAHA! AND IF YOU DO, THEN TELL ME WHO YOU THINK IT IS WHO HAS THAT "CERTAIN" TRAIT! AND IF YOU STILL CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT, THEN GET READY FOR THE FEW CHAPTERS OF SUSPENSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUFFERING! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Well, enough self-advertising! On with the crappy ass chapter! **OH YEAH! -SNICKERS MISCHIEVOUSLY- TWO CHAPTERS FROM NOW THERE WILL BE A _LEMON! _I PROMISE! THERE WILL BE A LEMON, PEOPLE! BE HAPPY! **

Anyway, Disclaimer: I don't own! If I did, Karin would have been in hell the second I created her!

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Chapter XVI: Moving Out

By: Winter's Holly

After discovering that Sakura was actually here for month—information from which he gathered form the other Otonin, Sasuke was in the field again, debating whether he should forget everything he learned about Sakura to continue his training or keep investigating and get himself more involved than he already is. But the thing is, little does Sasuke know, he was more involved than he realized. Inwardly groaning, Sasuke sat up took out the red cloth that he kept in his shirt. Staring at it, he fingered the darker area where Sakura's blood stained it. Closing his eyes, an image of Sakura staring back at him blankly, appear in his mind. Now that he knows more about her than he ever could, he could only imagine the pain she must have felt. What _would _it feel like to kill your loved ones without having any control over your body? That is something he really thought he couldn't—_wouldn't_ be able to handle.

_'How did she do it?' _he thought to himself, remembering the many times when Sakura always had that smile plastered on her face. _'Why does she always smile? How…can she hide all of that pain with just a smile?' _Sasuke, unlike Sakura, was able to hide his feelings through cold glares and responses. But, unlike Sakura, he couldn't do it as if nothing happened. He couldn't do it the way Sakura did it. He couldn't pretend like she did. But…he knew that she couldn't _forget _the pain as well. He didn't know what was more painful. Watching your older brother kill your parents? Or…killing your parents with your bare hands?

Shaking his head, Sasuke decided he didn't want to know. He'd already suffered from much pain thanks to Itachi. While lying down with his left arm behind his head, Sasuke continued to stare at the cloth as the sun filtered through it—making it a brighter red than it was earlier.

Narrowing his eyes a bit from the sun, Sasuke eventually closed them, sighing contently as he did so. Nowadays, the weather's been real nice. It wasn't too hot or too cool. It was basically perfect. The trees and grass rustled softly as the wind blew slowly fro everyone to drink in the tranquility. Several tree leaves were ripped off from the branches they were on and were taken with the breeze. Even some of the petals of the blossoms growing on the trees, flew away with the wind. Though, one petal strayed form the rest and floated down gracefully on to Sasuke's forehead.

Feeling the sudden movement, Sasuke moved his eyelids so that the bark obsidian orbs of his could see what landed on him. But since it was on his forehead, Sasuke sighed and took the offending object. Right when he was about to flick it away, he stared at it for a second, and realized that it was a whitish pink petal. As his gaze softened, Sasuke was suddenly reminded of the times of his childhood. Everything was so perfect back then until Itachi decided to kill everyone off. He still didn't understand why Itachi did it. Of course, he knew his older brother did it for power. But…couldn't he have done it in a different way? Why did he have to kill the clan? Why does he have to hurt the people closest to him?

Then, Sasuke abruptly scoffed. _'It's not like I'm one to talk,' _he thought sarcastically. Sighing faintly once more, Sasuke stared at the petal again and then let it blow away with the others. _'I wonder who's worse. Me or Itachi?' _Suddenly shaking his head, Sasuke glared at the sky. _'Tch! I don't care! Itachi killed the clan and I will get my revenge. I don't what the consequences are.' _And without realizing, Sasuke chose to ignore everything he discovered and unconsciously forgot Sakura.

As he stood—picking up his katana at the same time—Sasuke gazed at the field one last time before walking back. Right when he was a foot in the woods, he destroyed the tall old trees so that they blocked the way to the field. When it was completely sealed off, Sasuke left thinking, _'Hopefully, when the fighting's over, the meadow'll still be there.' _As he once more entered the hideout, all of the Otonin bowed in respect or stared at him in fear. And again, he ignored as if they didn't exist. He had to. It was the only way he could concentrate and not lose focus on his true purpose in life. Right when he was about to shut door to his room, a hand shot out of nowhere to stop it. Sasuke immediately glared at the person who stopped the door murderously. He seriously did not want to see this man right now. He was tired and grumpy from staying up all night and then having to wake up early to train. No. That did not make him happy at all. In fact, when the hell was the last time Sasuke was ever happy? Probably a long time ago.

Orochimaru stepped into the young man's room with a cynical sneer on his face. Looking around, he acted like he was examining the room. Turning back around, his smirk was back on. "Sasuke-kun, I've heard from Kabuto that you've been doing some research lately. May I know what it is for?" he asked conversationally. Sasuke only gave him the silent treatment while still standing by the doorway as the dim light cast an eerie yet threatening shadow on him. The Sannin lifted a brow and gave a snort. "What? Scare that I'll hurt someone you know?"

It was then that Sasuke actually reacted to the sarcastic comment. "I have no one I care about," was his answer.

"Really?"

"The only person I can actually some interest in is my older brother," Sasuke stated in a cold emotionless tone. "If anyone gets in my way, I'll kill them as well. And that includes you if you decide to interfere with my revenge."

The man chuckled lightly and waved his hand. "Oh, don't worry, Sasuke-kun. When you're done with your revenge, I'll get your body in the end," Orochimaru said all this in a casual, but evil voice—his eyes glittering in greed. And with that, he left Sasuke's room, shutting the door as he did so. Sasuke was left by himself standing in the middle of the room as the steps grew more and more distant. After a while, Sasuke continued to gaze at the door more intently than he was supposed to while his insides were in turmoil as the outside world continued to revolve peacefully around him. Finally after a long, ringing silence, Sasuke moved to sit on the edge of his bed with his hands clasped in front of his face in deep thought. For a long while, he just sat there staring into the vast emptiness, not really thinking of a specific subject. Suddenly, as if he awoken from a deep slumber, Sasuke snapped his head up, looked about—remembering that he was in his room, and then finally settled down until he felt that the cloth was still clutched tightly in his hand. Gazing at the piece of rag, Sasuke felt a sense of peace about him, but soon shook it off as nonsense.

Slowly getting up from his bed, the young man walked over to his window and undo the latch, pushed it open, letting in the breeze, and gazed once again at the rag intently. Closing his eyes while sighing, Sasuke made his decision. He was going to forget Sakura. If forgetting her would help him relieve the guilt he felt and to release all of his frustration, then he would do it. If…it was the only way…for him to forget the feelings he developed for her…then, it was a risk that he was willing to gamble with. It _is _the only way, he decided. It had to be. It would make _her _hate him and _that _he was okay with—no matter the suffering he had to face alone. As long as she hated him, he wouldn't feel so guilty. As long as she hated him, he would be able to fight her without holding back. At least…he had hoped so, anyway. Reopening his eyes so that the dark intensity of them may show again, Sasuke inhaled deeply the scent of nature. Looking once more at the red cloth, he lifted his hand so gracefully into the air—opening it as he did so, so that the wind may take the rag with it. Gently, it was lifted from the palm of his hand and into the breeze. As it floated away, Sasuke shut the window and went into the bathroom. There on his sink was a bowl filled with clear water and nothing else. Taking that, he poured into the sink while the water went down the drain with a whirling sound.

Sighing, Sasuke lifted his gaze to the mirror and stared for a long time. His expression of hatred and solitude had remained exactly the same for the past eight years. It was the same until he returned to Konoha two weeks ago. Has it really been two weeks already? _'Humph!' _For some reason it felt like another two years swept past him and that everything he did was a dream. Returning to Konoha only to see his old teammates instead of collecting information; running into old rivals and comrades; finding secrets about Sakura; staying at her house; seeing her, touching her, holding her…falling in love with her…Yes, it really does seem like a dream to him. His expression there was softer as he laughed, smiled, and talked to her. She made him change. He felt his heart beat—actually beating—just at the thought of her. She made him feel again. At first, he minded, merely because of the fact that he had his revenge to think about. Then, slowly and reluctantly, he let himself feel a little just to see what it would be like to feel again. Though, it is difficult for him to admit, he actually liked this feeling that he felt when he was Sakura. It was different from what he usually felt. It reminded him of his past. But now, as he stood in front of the mirror, a scowl appeared, instantly regretting opening his heart to a girl he had not interest in. But that was a lie and he knew it. Sasuke was always interested in Sakura ever he saw her in the park that fateful day. Ever since then, his curiosity of her grew the more he saw and spent time with her.

Immediately shaking his head, Sasuke forced himself not to think of the past, well more likely—not to think of her. But as he tried to make his mind focus on a different thought, it only brings him back to her. Now that his frustration was resurfacing, Sasuke stormed out of his room with a hard slam of the door and stalked down towards the laboratory. Upon entry, Suigetsu's laughter was already heard and annoying the Uchiha prodigy. Leaning against the table filled with vials, test tubes, and all sorts of chemicals. Sasuke watched with a bored expression as Suigetsu took form.

"Hey, hey, hey!" the man called jovially as if he and Sasuke haven't seen each other in ages (they saw each other the other day actually). "It's been a while, buddy! What did you come here to talk about now this time?"

Sasuke glared at the hyper man vehemently. "Must you always be so loud?" he asked in an irritated tone, but Suigetsu just chuckled. "What now?"

But the man just shook his head in a way as if he knew something that Sasuke didn't; this only irked Sasuke even more. "You're just too easy," he chuckled, his eyes filled with mirth. "It's about that girl, isn't it? What was her name again? Oh yes! Sakura, wasn't it? Anyway, you should just forget her, Sasuke," Suigetsu suggested, eyeing the young man inquiringly.

At the suggestion, Sasuke instantly snapped his head up, looking at the man in the tank with slight wide and shocked eyes. "Na…nani?" he said slowly.

Suigetsu tilted his head to the right with a smile. "Wasn't that what you wanted to hear? For someone to tell you that you should forget her?" he asked coldly.

Pretending now that he didn't notice the assumption made, Sasuke just sighed and said, "It's almost time."

Deciding to let Sasuke off, he blinked in question. "What is?"

"Orochimaru was speaking about going to a village not far from Konoha the other day," Sasuke said suddenly and slowly. "I remember him saying that I should accompany him and Kabuto."

"So are you?"

Looking directly at Suigetsu with a peculiar look in his eyes that made the man shivered, Sasuke said quietly, "I am." Then more to himself, "This will be my final confrontation with her."

Not hearing clearly what Sasuke had said, Suigetsu asked, "What? I didn't hear you. Say that last part again."

Sasuke look at him for a second, then gave a sudden cold smirk. Leaving Suigetsu to figure out what had just transpired, Sasuke left without another word. After he closed the door with a soft click, he sighed while staring at the wall in front of him. It was dark as usual in these hallways; it always somehow matched his moods for some reason. Anyway, he started down the hall towards Orochimaru's room where the Sannin sat in his bed, looking healthier than he did before.

"Well, well, well. What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit of yours, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru asked conversationally while Sasuke only glared at him. "Come now! You didn't come down here simply to glare at me, did you?"

The young man grunted and narrowed his eyes even more. "I'll go," he said simply and walked away, leaving Orochimaru with a devilish glint in his golden eyes. When the Uchiha was gone, the Sannin moved his gaze to the shadow behind the door. And slowly, Kabuto emerged with blank look etched on his face.

"So now we'll proceed with the plan, then?" he questioned calmly.

The other man gave a weak, cracked laughed. "Yes, we will. We will travel to No Name Village and then everything will fall into play."

Though, Kabuto didn't look very convinced. "Are you sure that Sasuke will cooperate? What if he refuses?"

"Oh, don't worry. He will do as he's said. Especially if he wants to kill his brother Itachi, that is," Orochimaru said confidently, that wicked gleam in his eyes again.

"Sou ka. And when do we set off?"

"Inform Sasuke that we leave at dawn two days from now."

Kabuto nodded and left with a bow while Orochimaru watched him go in silence. As the candles flickered, the shadows in his dark room moved wildly as if they were alive. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot throughout his entire body as his body moved down as if trying to stop the pain from going any further. Shakily, he lifted both of his arms, staring at them in disgust. At the moment, he really wanted to kill something just to get rid of this pathetic weak feeling he had. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Orochimaru quickly swung his left arm to his side to smash a glass cup of water left by Kabuto, relishing the new pain that overtook the old one. Then he gave a strangled laugh and gazed at the flickering flame across his room in malice. _'Everything is now set in motion.'_

-o0o-

Sasuke was now in his room, laying on the bed thinking about the decision he just made. Now that he's decided to go with Orochimaru to No Name Village, there was no turning back. This couldn't go on any longer. Though, he knew he had broken all the ties he had with Konoha, but somehow he mended his bond with Sakura. She wasn't just a girl who had a crush on him or a teammate who was a simply a burden. Sakura was more than that now. She means more to him than anyone and that…was what scared him—as much as it scared her—for the past two weeks upon his return. Could she really mean that much to him than his life goal, than his revenge against his brother for the suffering he had caused him? It couldn't be! It's the most absurd idea ever! Isn't that why he left Konoha in the first place? Because he was soft-hearted, weak, naïve, and absurd? If it is, then why is it that every time he thought of Konoha, it made him so nostalgic? He longed to be around people who accepted him. He longed to see her, feel her, touch her, and kiss her just one more time.

Suddenly, he clicked his tongue in irritation and closed his eyes, while turning to lay on his right side away from the door. _'I can't think about her like this. It's not right,' _he thought painfully. But before he get could even more depressed, his door was knocked on lightly from his visitor. However, he really wasn't in the mood to get up from his bed and so ignored the knocks. When they finally stopped, he sighed, feeling tired all of a sudden and wanted to sleep. But that wasn't the case. So instead of the knocking, Kabuto came in instead, making the young man growled in annoyance.

Continuing to lay on his bed, Sasuke didn't turn and said in a low voice, "What do you want?"

"Just wanted to let you know that we're the day after tomorrow at sunrise," the medic answered, pushing up his glasses.

"Is that it?" Sasuke demanded, wanted to sleep really badly now. The medic nodded and left quietly, closing the door noiselessly. Sasuke sighed and moved to lie on his back now with hands behind his head as he stared aimlessly at the ceiling, hoping that there was some sort of sign. _'Tch! This is going to be troublesome for the few days,' _he thought, not knowing how right he was.

-o0o-

It was finally the day that they were to head out towards No Name Village. Sasuke had his basic needs pack and was waiting at the gate for Orochimaru and Kabuto to arrive. Groaning in impatience, Sasuke went to lean against the gate while closing his eyes in thought. _'Now that I think about, I'm always the first one to arrive and wait! And I hate waiting! Why don't I just sleep on my ass for a while longer and make them wait! Then they'll know how it feels to wait all the fucking time! Stupid freaks!' _And as all these _strange _thoughts went through the young Uchiha's mind, Sasuke was suddenly reminded of how he used to think the same thing when he was in Konoha. With Sakura coming to say hi at him, Naruto yelling his head off, while Kakashi got lost on the road of life. _'Heh…those were the good old days,' _he thought soberly (which kind of reminds me of him being an old man!). Feeling the snake Sannin's presence, Sasuke immediately sank back to his impassive mode.

"Always the first to arrive," Orochimaru said casually as he walked past the prodigy while Sasuke just simply glared at the man. And so the three set off to No Name Village in silence. They stopped once or twice to rest and then continued forward. When they stopped a third time, Kabuto spoke.

"I'm just going to visit a shrine for a second," he said over his shoulder while the other two following quietly.

Sasuke didn't say anything, but he thought it was odd, though. "Does he really think that the gods will do anything?" he said bitterly, reminiscing old memories of him in front of his family alter.

Orochimaru just simply chuckled at his rude comment. "Well, he doesn't believe they will. I certainly don't! But he says just in case," he snickered and then glanced at the Uchiha. "Do you believe in a Buddha or God, Sasuke-kun?"

"No, I don't," he answered in a firm and set tone. "I don't believe in them then when my clan was killed, I don't believe in them now when I get my revenge."

"You never know when something good might happen," the man egged on with an amused glint in his eyes.

Getting annoyed, Sasuke clicked his tongue and growled, "Don't bother me with such trivial things!"

When Kabuto was done praying, he went back to the others. They kept on moving forward until nightfall and decided to camp there for a few hours. Sasuke didn't feel like sleeping so just sat on a high branch, staring at the starless night. However, there was a yellow moon in the sky as the breeze blew gently at him. This night was not a night that he wanted to be reminded of anything, especially anything concerning Sakura. But with the moon, that wasn't going to happen. That moon represented too much of that memory. _'I'm really starting to regret my decision!' _he thought irritably. Jumping from the tree, Sasuke went to the nearby river and sat on one of the boulders. The water glow with an alluring light, drawing Sasuke closer, due to curiosity. Narrowing his eyes, he hesitated whether he should look or not. But he can't, though. He promised himself he wouldn't. But the temptation is just too hard to ignore. Sighing at his weakness, Sasuke activated his Sharingan as he performed a couple of hand signs for the water to turn into a looking glass.

There he saw Sakura in a room, fiddling with the crest of the haori he gave her while staring at the same moon he was earlier before. Her expression was set in uncertainty when she brought the haori closer to herself. Unconsciously, she moved her hand to the base of neck, sighing as she did so.

_"Sasuke, I miss you," _she said with a painful expression. _"Demo…can I really be with you? Can I even forgive you after all the things you've done? There's still fifteen percent left for me to remember, but I'm too scared to find out what they are."_

_'Only fifteen percent?' _Sasuke thought as he listened to her speak eagerly.

_"I wonder what _would _happen, though, after I revive my memories. Everyone says that I would kill Sasuke due to my hatred, but…what if I don't? What then?" _she asked herself, feeling bewildered. _"Man, this sucks as hell."_

Sasuke, on the other hand, rolled his eyes inwardly agreeing with her. _'No kidding.'_

_"I'll just go to sleep. We only have two days left until we leave, thank goodness! I don't think those men will stop hitting on me," _Sakura said out of tiredness and annoyance. _"Poor Sai. I feel bad every time we have to go out and get some herbs to study. Oh well, at least, we're on good terms now."_

She then turned her head at the boy whose bed was beside hers and smiled. As she laid down, Sakura gazed at the moon again, but this time with a certain determination in her eyes. _'I will find you and bring you back, Sasuke, even if I have to break every bone in your body.'_

The young Uchiha blinked at the words, noticing that they were the exact same words Naruto spoke to him at the Valley of the End. Deactivating his Sharingan, Sasuke slowly got up and went back to the campsite, and hopped back on his branch with a smirk on his lips. _'Well, we'll just see how good you'll do, Sakura.'_

_

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_

Okay, okay OKAY! I know it sucked like hell! But just review, alright! Oh yeah! Question! How much is the program Photoshop? I want to install it into my laptop, but my uncle's an idiot and doesn't remember where he put it! And he's in California, the moron! So now I have to buy the software on my OWN! . ! There goes my savings! Not very much money due to spending on books! And ECLIPSE IS COMING OUT IN FIVE DAYS, BABY! YEAH!

Okay, just review! Ja!


	17. Chapter XVII: Chance

OKAY! I know I'm a fucking loser who has horrible ass excuses, so I'm not even going to try at all! And I KNOW you guys will say how much this chapter sucks! I KNOW! So just read it and bitch at me in the reviews or whatever! Note: lemon in the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own a damn thing!

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Chapter XVII: Chance

By: Winter's Holly

_"With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity." Keshavan Nair_

_-_

Finally, now that it was last day, Sakura was able to relax and enjoy the festival. She spent an entire day with Fuu yesterday learning about the herbs there and it could cure illnesses and poisons. Sai was practicing his art jutsu during the whole time, seeing as how he couldn't do anything useful at the time. Currently, Sakura was browsing by herself, insisting to the persistent Fuu that she wanted time alone. With Sai's help, she managed to get away and get some fresh air. It was late into the evening as the lights began to brighten up the village. While strolling about, Sakura thought back to her conversation with Fuu the day before.

_As they walked through the streets to stop by the next herb store, Sakura turned to ask Fuu something that was on her mind since they came. "Ooshima-san, what is this festival really about?" Sakura stopped to look at Fuu who was currently examining a root from an oak tree. _

_Stilling not glancing at the young kunoichi, Fuu answered, "Oh, it's just celebrating our village's fiftieth year of existence. Like I said, before it was called 'No Name Village', it was formally known as 'Akari no Sato.'"_

_"Sou ka," Sakura muttered as she thought about Naruto's response if he came here. _'I'll bring your village back its glory! Then everyone would come here again!' _She looked at the sky idly, imagining him being rash and impulsive as he begins demanding things from Tsunade. _'Yup…he'll do that, alright. There's no doubt about it.'

_Glancing back at the herbalist, Sakura asked, "This festival, is it formal? Can anyone attend?"_

_"No, it's not formal and yes, anyone can attend!" Fuu said excitedly as she took Sakura's hands into her own. "Will you come then? You can meet my older son, Kyouya! I'm sure you'll like him very much! He's very handsome, kind, and very reliable!"_

_All she wanted to know if she can go, too, but subject—she figured—would turn this way eventually. Sighing, Sakura politely pull her hands away from the older woman's. "I'm sure he's a nice person and all, Ooshima-san, but I have no interest in anyone at the moment."_

_"Well, it's just that I heard a little bit of your conversation with Sai-kun last night and I was just wondering…" she glanced at Sakura to see her reaction. And when she did, she winced at the glare shot at her._

_"That was none of your business, Ooshima-san. I would appreciate it _very _much if you wouldn't push yourself into my business again," Sakura said fiercely, and then turned to walk away. She moved her head back, so that Fuu can see the little smirk on her face. "You know what they, 'curiosity kills the cat.'" After that, she left Fuu with an aggravated attitude. _

Since yesterday, she hasn't spoken to either Sai or Fuu, still annoyed by the conversations. She early this morning so that she wouldn't have to catch them on her way out later on. However, Sai was up early as well when he stopped her at the door.

_"Sakura, I know you're going to spend the rest of the day by yourself and I don't care, but…" he said quietly and looked about himself. He then bent down to whisper in her ear. "Be careful. I have a feeling that something might happen tonight." Nodding in understanding, Sakura left._

Looking back up at the sky, Sakura narrowed her green orbs in thought. _'Wakaranai. What did he mean by that, anyways? What's going to happen?' _all these thoughts wandered through her mind in and out, annoying her more. Shaking her head, Sakura brought her gaze back down only to see that the men were looking shyly at her. She lifted a brow nonchalantly as they darted their eyes elsewhere when she glanced at them. Strange was her thought for them. They immediately reminded her of the men in Konoha. Embarrassed, yet bold at the same time. Sighing once more, the young kunoichi continued on her way.

After a couple of hours of boring browsing, Sakura finally found a shop that caught her attention. It was an antique shop. Upon entering, the smell of incense was immediately smelt. All around her were antiques of every kind: armors, giant vases, cabinets, tables, jewelry, and much more. This is what she always loved every since she was child. She had come to know that she loved learning about the past days and learned to appreciate them as she grew older. Because without any of _that, _none of _that _would had happened. While looking around, she failed to notice that the shopkeeper was staring at her funny. When she did, the old man's brows (which covered most of his eyes) furrowed and poked her in the forehead.

Backing up with a look that was between a frown and shock, Sakura put her hand on her forehead to glare at the old man. "What the hell was that for?" she demanded rudely.

"Well, I was here for a long time and it seemed that you wouldn't even notice me until I hit you," the old man chuckled. "Hmm, you're Haruno Sakura, are you not?"

Deciding to be respectful instead of rude, Sakura nodded curtly and replied, "Hai, demo, how did you know?"

Once more the old man chuckled while stroking his white beard which was tied neatly together with a blue ribbon. Now that she had a good look at him, Sakura noticed that he was dressed much nicer than most of the villagers here. It looked like he was just here for business instead of being a resident of the village making some profit off of his antiques. Noticing that she was staring, Sakura mentally scolded herself for being rude.

"Gomen, but I have to go now," she excused herself just as the old shopkeeper began to open his mouth to answer her question. However, just as she took one step outside, something caught her eyes, luring her back in. In the display next to a suit of armor was a smaller version of a shuriken about 1 ¼ on all sides. In the center was a dark red ruby. On each of the four blades was the kanji of honor, truth, wisdom, and courage. In the middle of the ruby at the bottom was the kanji for life. Sakura frowned slightly as she stared at it intently, making the old man lift his white brows in interest.

"Do you like it?" he asked, making his way over to open the display from the back and taking out the shuriken.

The young girl grimaced. "Not really," she replied with a sour edge in her voice.

Now he was really curious. "Okashii…you're actually first person I've had say that."

"Why would you like something like this? First of all, it's an old shuriken turned into a trinket. Two, why put a jewel in it when it's going to fall off eventually," Sakura listed in a mocked, yet disgusted tone. "And three, those words are lies."

For a while, the only sounds to be heard were the sounds of the music and chatter outside. Inside the shop, it was quiet between Sakura and the old shopkeeper. Then, he abruptly moved closer to get a good look at her face. His eyebrows lifted as he started to chuckle lightly. "You don't happen to be Haruno Sakura, do you?" he asked light-mannered.

"You just said that already, old man. Are you sure you're not just insane?" she questioned back feeling suspicious.

He nodded, probably figuring something in his head. "Well, that explains it all."

Lifting a brow, she stood back with her arms folded across her chest with a peeved expression. "Sou…well, what does 'that' explains, hmm, old man?"

"Haha…you're the Hokage's apprentice and you're just as bitter as she was when she lost her beloved ones," he answered, stroking his beard with a sure nod. "She didn't like the shuriken either since they were lies to her as well."

"I can relate to Shishou well. Those words do not speak the same for all shinobi. If the world was like that, then none of this would have happen." Sakura solemnly took the shuriken from the glass counter to rub her thumb over the gem where the kanji of life resides. "Life, heh," Sakura scoffed bitterly at herself. "I wish I could say I have one, but unfortunately I can't. These words could only speak for those who died bravely for their village and without any regrets at that. I have too many regrets for these words to be true; however, I do believe in them…hontou ni."

The old man gazed intently at Sakura for a moment before he spoke. "It's not what you say or do that determines your life, child. It's your decision and it's the _way _you live your life. It's then that you know what it means to 'live your life to the fullest.'" Bringing his wrinkled, yet soft hands over Sakura's, he closed his hands around hers, closing the shuriken in them. "I want you to have this. Wear it with you always. And if you find your most important person, give it to them. Understand?"

"N-nani?" she stammered, surprised. "Demo, I can't take this. I don't even want it for crying out loud! Why would I take something I don't like?"

He shook his head and smiled gently. "That's a lie. It's not that you don't like it. You won't take it because you know it's too true in your _heart_. These words have caused you much pain and you will become strong because of them. Now stop arguing with me and take it already," he insisted, now pushing her out of his door. "Go and don't come back!" And with that, he rudely slammed the door in her face, leaving her staring at it dumbstruck.

Standing there, Sakura opened her hands slowly as if afraid of the trinket and frowned unsurely at it. _'I can't take this…but, he won't let me put it back either way,' _she thought, looking back at the door to see the old man waving his hand at her, trying to shoo her away. Glancing at the necklace, Sakura bent down to put it on the ground. However, as she kneeled there, the red gem seemed to captivate her. Her face suddenly became emotionless once more as she stood, putting the necklace on. Touching it, Sakura closed her eyes, seeing Sasuke's face, feeling the longing that she felt ever since he left. _'Sasuke…I miss you…' _her chest constricted in pain as she tried to rid her mind of him. But it didn't help. Her thoughts were plagued by his image. _'I want to see you again…so badly…' _For some reason, her longing felt more than that. She wanted to see him so much that it hurt if she even looked at Sai. Shaking her head, Sakura opened her eyes and nodded her farewell at the shopkeeper and left.

-o0o-

It was midday by the time Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke reached No Name Village which was now in the middle of its festivities, so avoiding suspicion was easy since they didn't have to disguise themselves (well, except for Orochimaru, anyways). As they moved past the stalls, a flash of pink caught the young Uchiha's attention. Snapping around, Sasuke looked back only to find that it was only a stuffed animal. Shaking his head, Sasuke mentally scolded himself. He needed to concentrate more on Itachi, not Sakura. But the girl just keeps popping back in his head. Really, he just wanted to bang his head on a random wall so that he would be relieved of the frustration and stress that he felt from the day he left Konoha.

After they checked into a hotel, Orochimaru turned to Sasuke with a mischievous grin. "Well, Sasuke-kun, why don't you go out and have some fun? Maybe you'll run into some familiar faces here," he said on his way through the door.

Sasuke was instantly in front of him within a second and eyes narrowed and full with distrust. He took a step forward, drawing his katana from its sheath. "And what will _you _be doing, Orochimaru? Remember, I can kill you any time if I find out you're up to something," he warned, his eyes clearly showing that he would carry out his threat.

However, despite the real warning, Orochimaru just laughed in his face while Kabuto, beside him who hasn't spoken a word since last night, just stared at him with a blank gaze. When the Sannin managed to calm down, he looked teary-eyed at Sasuke as he spoke. "Oh, come now, Sasuke-kun! Do you not trust me that much? No matter!" he said, waving his hand in the air dismissively. "Everything will come to pass," he suddenly murmured with a strange smile etched upon his pale face. The silence that followed afterward was short, but felt so very long. Then suddenly, the man smiled and moved aside so that he could leave. "Anyway, enjoy yourself while you still can!" And with those parting words, Sasuke was left by himself in the middle of the room.

He went to the window and watched as Orochimaru and Kabuto left the building and vanished in a puff of smoke. For a while, Sasuke just stood there, gazing at the villagers walking outside. Until after a long time, he began to grow tired of it and went out of his room. Upon entering the busy streets, he was instantaneously drowned in the by the stares the village girls and women gave him. Lowering his head, Sasuke just headed in a random direction, trying to ignoring everyone. But everywhere he went, he really couldn't get away. Sasuke groaned in annoyance, knowing this might will on be the beginning of his troubles.

Rounding a corner, Sasuke was oh so fortunate to run into a young man who looked exactly like him. Scary, isn't? Well, it was for them, too. Not having met each other tends to do that to people very often. Sasuke stood there, rooted in his spot, glaring at the other young man while on the inside he was screaming his head off. _'What the hell?! Why the fuck does he look like me?! Eh…?! Wait a minute…!'_

"You're that guy," he said impassively (again, he was growling on the _inside_).

The other young man was Sai who was surprised as Sasuke was, though he was more brooding instead off freaking out like our Uchiha. "Yeah and you're _that _guy," he said, putting more emphasis on 'that'. By now, everyone on the street stopped to stare at the two good-looking young men who were glaring murderously at each other, daring one of them to make the first move. Well, Sai, being more daring like the ANBU that he is, took a deliberate slow step towards Sasuke until he was close enough that only the Uchiha could hear him. "You're going to face a lot of pain when Sakura gets here," Sai murmured as Sasuke lifted a brow in interest.

"Sakura?" he repeated quietly, his heart skipping a beat silently as he said her name. "What, has she finally remember everything now?" his voice was cold and sarcastic as he said this. He didn't want Sai to know how he felt about the pink-haired girl, knowing that he was an ANBU.

The latter narrowed his dark orbs in hatred, fighting the urge to punch him right then. "She knows more than you _think, _Uchiha."

Just a few ways down from them was Sakura fighting off some boys who followed her, trying to get her to go out with them. Pushing one of them off her, Sakura ran off. However, as she glanced back to the front, she noticed a small crowd and slowed down and moved towards it. _'I wonder what's going on,' _she thought, but stopped immediately when she felt the two familiar chakra flows. Her breath hitched in her throat as she now pushed her way roughly between the people.

"Hey!" a girl yelled, but Sakura kept ignoring the cries until she was at the center.

_'It can't be…this is…'_

Finally, forcing her way through the last of the crowd, Sakura was frozen as her green eyes widen in shock. "S-Sasuke…" her voice was so low that only Sai and Sasuke could hear due to their abilities. Glancing to her right, she saw Sai and behind him was Fuu. Both her hands were over her mouth, stopping the gasp that planned to escape her lips.

Sasuke, on the other hand, turned slowly around as if hesitating until his eyes landed on her own green ones. His face remained impassive and stoic as he acknowledged her. "Sakura," he said, giving a curt nod.

Sai looked at both, frowning when he saw the looks in their eyes. Sighing, he went up to Sakura and bent down to whisper, "Be happy, Sakura."

Her eyes were now half-lidded hearing his parting words. Turning back, Sakura replied, "Arigatou gouzaimasu, Sai." And with that, she gave a respectful bow to his retreating back.

As she watched the scene that played out in front of her, Fuu glanced at Sasuke's back to see the little Uchiha crest. Her expression turned from a frown to a face of realization as she figured out who he was. When she looked back at Sakura's back, she saw the same symbol on the haori. _'So that haori must be his…they both carry the crest on their backs.' _Seeing Sakura moving towards Sasuke, she noticed that the crowd hasn't dissipated and decided to help them a bit.

"Oh, he's so cute! That girl's so lucky! She's so pretty!" one girl gushed, a little blush forming on her cheeks.

Her friend nodded in agreement. "They make such a pretty couple! It's just like in the movies and—"

She was interrupted when Fuu said in a loud voice, "Alright! That's enough, guys! There's nothing going on here! Just a misunderstanding, that's all! Come, let's enjoy the festival, shall we?"

Sakura and Sasuke both nodded at her in appreciation as they took off in the other direction. Smiling at them, her face showed some sadness, mostly for Sakura. _'I hope they'll be alright…'_ Gazing at the starless night, she prayed for their happiness…

* * *

Oh my GOD! I am going to kill the bastard who fucking dubbed Naruto the Movie! They fucking DESTROYED it! It's like oblitherated! Oh my god! I just wanted to cry! Stupid ass translators! The subbed version is so much awesomer! And I don't give a shit if that's not a word! I'm using it!

Anyway, since I was stupid enough to let you guys hanging with a stupid ass, crappy, fucked up chapter, here's an excerpt from 18 and no, it's not going to be the lemon part! Why the _hell _would I do that? Right...

Excerpt...

The smoke from the man in the booth behind them rose high as the dim light from the lamp above flickered. The silence between them was long and torturous, but both refused to be the first one to break it. However, though he was never one to mind the silence, this one has got to stop. If not, it'll just drive him to insanity. "How much do you have left to remember, Sakura?" he decided to ask this question since it was bugging him ever since his encounter with Sai.

Looking at him through her lashes, Sakura saw that he kept his gaze on his cup of sake while she twirled her own as she looked back down. "Only three percent," she answered silently, now waiting for his response which she had a pretty guess was.

"Three percent? Hmm...I'm not surprised, actually," he admitted, confusing Sakura as she lifted her gaze from the alcohol to the young man across from her. The light from above gave his face a calm, yet intimidating appearance.

"Nande?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her. He knew that her memory was coming back faster and that she might hate him forever, and yet he's still willing. _'Why?' _Her expression crumpled into such sorrow that Sasuke's eyes grew larger slightly.

"Doushita no?"

His voice was still the same coldness she was used to, yet she heard the tiny concern it held for her. Her hands shook, her head lowered as Sakura tried to comprehend his actions. "Why do you do this, Sasuke? Do you want me to hate you? Is that it?" she questioned, her eyes hardening as thought picked at her. "Why are you doing this? Tell me!"

"I don't know," Sasuke answered in a quieter voice, making Sakura snap her head up at him. "I don't know why I'm here at all. The only thing I do know is that...I..." He closed his eyes tightly as the memories of his past pushed their way in. The faces of his parents alive and dead, his brother covered in their blood, Naruto when they were at the Valley of the End, and her face of all the times he had hurt her and pushed her away.

Sakura waited nervously for Sasuke to speak. Her jaw was clenched tightly while her fists turned white. "What, Sasuke-kun? Tell me," she whispered, unconsciously leaning forward the same way Sasuke was.

Opening his eyes upon hearing her voice, Sasuke saw her hands shaking furiously and took them into his own, calming her. "...that I can't lose you...ever"

End of Excerpt

Alright! So that is what's going to be waiting for you when I'm done! Man, am I evil or am I evil! LOL! You guys are probably pissed at me now, huh? Oh well, if you want me to write and type faster, just make my life so much happier and easier by leaving me reviews or else face another three months of hanging on the edge of a cliff! -snickers maliciously- Sorry! So take it or leave it! Leave me reviews and I'll be faster. Leave me with nothing but dust and I'll just go slower than usual! Ja!


	18. Chapter XVIII: A Moment Like This

Wow...I actually UPDATED! Woo! Anyways, this chapter is sort of lemonish (or lemon, if that's what you think), but yeah...! So, I hope you enjoy this chapter! And for those of you who haven't noticed yet, I deleted "Gentle Illusions" too! I'M SORRY! I JUST HAD TO! NO MOTIVATION TO MOVE ME! So read now! Thanks for those of you who have actually reviewed for me!

Disclaimer: Well, if I had own Naruto, Sasuke wouldn't have been such a dickwad! And Sai would freak the living daylights out of me with his freakish paleness! He is like Dracula!

* * *

Chapter XVIII: A Moment Like This…

By: Winter's Holly

"Beauty is ever to the lonely mind, a shadow fleeting; she is never plain. She is a visitor who leaves behind the gift of grief, the souvenir of pain." Christopher Morley

-

_20__th__ April…Friday…50__th__ Annual Festival at No Name Village..._

_-_

As the night began to take over the evening sunset and the villagers staring at the two young ninja, Sasuke and Sakura ignored them as they strolled through the stall-infested streets. Ever since their little incident earlier today, the two of them both kept quiet, just enjoying each others' presence, no matter how fleeting. Finally, when their feet began to grow tired, Sasuke found a tavern that didn't seem like a good place to go to. The outer appearance compared to most of the taverns was most suspicious. The paint of this one was peeling as the smoke from cigars and cigarettes emerged through the flaps of the entrance. Even the lamp above the sound seemed ominous due to its dim and flickering bulb. Most of the villagers stay away from pubs like these; however, Sasuke and Sakura weren't like most villagers.

Turning towards the smaller kunoichi beside him, Sasuke had a look that asked if this place was okay. In return, Sakura nodded slowly and followed the Uchiha in. Inside wasn't as dirty as the two had expected. It was actually kept tidy and all the stools and chairs pushed underneath the bar. There was a slight smell of cigarette, but nothing too strong of alcohol. The only brightest source of light happened to be the bar where the bartender stood and greeted the shinobi with a curt nod of his head. In other booths hung an old dim lamp which suited the atmosphere well. In the background was the sound of an old folksong. Glancing for a good spot to sit, Sasuke found one in the back corner where on the opposite side of the booth was a man smoking while eating. Motioning her to follow, Sasuke led them to the back, him sitting on one side as Sakura sat across from him. As soon as they sat, another customer came in and went to sit in the booth behind theirs. A waiter came over and set down two bottles of sake without a word of their age, knowing that they were shinobi and needed no permission. When he was done setting the drinks for the young couple, he left wordlessly. Taking the narrow, white, warm bottle, Sasuke poured the sake into both his and her cups quietly, feeling her eyes watching his every movement for anything suspicious. Wordlessly, when he was done filling the cups, Sasuke set the bottle down silently, taking his time as he sorted out the words he wanted to say. The atmosphere was incredibly tense between the two. After all, it has been nearly three weeks since they had last seen one another. Finally Sasuke took the cup and sipped quietly and politely, watching Sakura through half-lidded eyes.

When the young man had set his cup down, he waited until the kunoichi was done with her drink before refilling it again. Again as he observed his childhood teammate, he noticed that the haori he gave her before was still worn. It surprised him because he thought she would have thrown it away by now.

"Aa," Sasuke mumbled quietly, feeling a little content that she kept it.

Upon hearing his little mumble, Sakura looked blankly and tilted her head in question. "Nandesuka?" she asked quietly, staring into his obsidian orbs.

He shook his head as if in disbelief, giving a humorless chuckle. "Ore wa…I can't believe you have actually kept that," Sasuke sighed, gesturing to the dark blue haori.

"Nande?" Sakura asked again, not understanding. "Why would you be surprised?"

"Well, I've expected you to come to hate me even more so after what I did to you," he said nonchalantly, giving a light shrug while drinking the sake.

Chuckling at him, Sakura shook her head and leaned back into her seat. "Baka…" she murmured as Sasuke gave a small smirk until the silence invaded their conversation once more.

The smoke from the man in the booth behind them rose high as the dim light from the lamp above flickered. The silence between them was long and torturous, but both refused to be the first one to break it. However, though he was never one to mind the silence, this one has got to stop. If not, it'll just drive him to insanity. "How much do you have left to remember, Sakura?" he decided to ask this question since it was bugging him ever since his encounter with Sai.

Looking at him through her lashes, Sakura saw that he kept his gaze on his cup of sake while she twirled her own as she looked back down. "Only three percent," she answered silently, now waiting for his response which she had a pretty guess was.

"Three percent? Hmm...I'm not surprised, actually," he admitted, confusing Sakura as she lifted her gaze from the alcohol to the young man across from her. The light from above gave his face a calm, yet intimidating appearance.

"Nande?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her. He knew that her memory was coming back faster and that she might hate him forever, and yet he's still willing. '_Why?' _Her expression crumpled into such sorrow that Sasuke's eyes grew larger slightly.

"Doushita no?"

His voice was still the same coldness she was used to, yet she heard the tiny concern it held for her. Her hands shook, her head lowered as Sakura tried to comprehend his actions. "Why do you do this, Sasuke? Do you want me to hate you? Is that it?" she questioned, her eyes hardening as thought picked at her. "Why are you doing this? Tell me!"

"I don't know," Sasuke answered in a quieter voice, making Sakura snap her head up at him. "I don't know why I'm here at all. The only thing I do know is that...I..." He closed his eyes tightly as the memories of his past pushed their way in. The faces of his parents alive and dead, his brother covered in their blood, Naruto when they were at the Valley of the End, and her face of all the times he had hurt her and pushed her away.

Sakura waited nervously for Sasuke to speak. Her jaw was clenched tightly while her fists turned white. "What, Sasuke-kun? Tell me," she whispered, unconsciously leaning forward the same way Sasuke was.

Opening his eyes upon hearing her voice, Sasuke saw her hands shaking furiously and took them into his own, calming her. "...that I can't lose you...ever."

"I…I don't understand." That was probably the best thing that could describe her confusion. Why was he speaking as if he was never going to see her again? Her heart pounded irregular than before. It scared her the way he held her hand so tightly, yet so longingly. Moving her gaze down to their clasped hands, Sakura tried to understand what he was saying. Her chest ached even more as her stomach felt more uncomfortable as the silence dragged on. Taking a deep breath, Sakura tried once more to comprehend his words. "Sasuke-kun, are you leaving again or is there some other motive behind this facade of yours?" As much as she loved him, she still couldn't help but feel something terribly wrong about this.

Sasuke knew what she was thinking. He knew very well what was going to happen before the night ended. And he planned on carrying out his plans before Orochimaru decided to interfere. Looking into her eyes, he can tell that she was struggling very much to understand what was going on. "Sakura, what would you do if you were to remember everything about me and saw me again?" he asked quietly, stroking his thumb unconsciously across the back of her hand.

Blinking at the random question, Sakura thought long and hard before she answered. Leaning towards him, careful not to knock over the bottles, she placed his hand on her cheek, leaning into his touch. She closed her eyes and remembered her moments with the young man before her. Some she smiled at and some she frowned. However, despite all of those fleeting memories, she knew deeply that if she were to remember him again, she would find him again and bring him back to his _real _home with her.

"I would follow you, stay with you so that when everything comes, we'll fight and finally come home, to our home," she murmured lovingly. She heard him inhale lightly just now and wanted to see his face, but decided not to, seeing as how it would ruin this feeling she currently felt. It was strange. Being so far from him made her realize how much she needed him now than she ever did before. She didn't realize how she had missed him until she saw him and felt him. "Sasuke-kun…Sasuke-kun…Sasuke-kun…" she repeated to herself over and over again.

Sasuke, hearing her sad calling, wanted to just take her away from this ugly world so that it would just be the two of them and no one else. But, of course, he wouldn't do that without her being sad from leaving her friends behind. Although, he couldn't stop his developing feelings for her that it made him angry and frustrated at himself. He had promise himself that he would never fall in love until he had killed his brother and yet, here he was falling for the girl whom he ignored for most of his life. Bowing his head down, he closed his eyes tightly, feeling a nagging tug at his stomach.

_'I can't! I can't do this…!' _he thought angrily at himself; he looked up to glimpse at her, only to see her eyes containing the same feeling as his. _'But I…I want to…I want her to be with me. Sakura…'_

Standing up, Sasuke pulled Sakura with him as he laid down a couple of bills for the sake. He nodded to the bartender as he past and left the tavern and into the fresh cool air of the world. Beside him, Sakura squeezed his hand gently while giving him a small smile. His eyes soften and he nodded as he led the way out of the festival. After a few minutes of weaving their way through, Sasuke brought them to the west side of the village where waterfalls also covered the cliff sides. The night would have been more romantic if there was some stars and moon out, but those things only brought memories back that they didn't want to remember. So a moonless and starless night suited them well.

When Sasuke brought Sakura to the bank of the river, they both sat down side by side, staring into the water. Sakura was the first one to initiate the conversation with a sigh. "Sasuke-kun, why are you really here? Is Orochimaru with you?" she asked quietly.

Of course, he wasn't surprised that she knew that. She was a shinobi after all. "Yes," he answered with a tone that was meant to leave it be. However, being the stubborn person he knew Sakura was, she was going to get everything out of him.

"Will you…" she hesitated and then shook her head. "No, nevermind."

Curious as to what she began to say, Sasuke tilted his head slightly so that he could see her face. "Nani?"

She shook her head again, a frown on her face will with uncertainty. "It's nothing. Shimeta."

Gazing intently at her, he narrowed his eyes a bit and looked at the waterfalls behind him. Using his Sharingan, he noticed that there was a very small space big enough for two to four people hiding behind the curtain of water. Glancing back at her, Sasuke decided to stand up, making her look curiously at him. "Come," he said, well more like demanded.

"Nani yo, Sasuke-kun?" she questioned as he dragged her along the side of the steep, slick sides of the waterfalls. He took off his sandals, gesturing for Sakura to do the same. Following his example, Sakura did the same thing and tentatively step on the algae covered rocks. When they were inside and behind the water, Sakura looked up to see Sasuke dangerously close to her, staring down at her. She backed up against the cold, hard wall of the falls as Sasuke came forward until she couldn't move anywhere else. "Nani o shiteimasuka?" she whispered, feeling the warmth radiating off his body towards her.

"You already know." His body moved closer to hers as he wrapped his arms around her frame and sank his head on her shoulder melancholically. "Sakura…I…I," he struggled, but he could only express how he felt by holding her tighter. "I can't tell you how I feel, demo…"

Catching on to his meaning, Sakura tentatively lifted her arms up to return his embrace. She closed her eyes and listened his even breathing. It was odd how it calmed her at the moment. _'Maybe…maybe this won't be so sad after all…'_

"Wakatteiru," she murmured softly into his chest. "Shitteimasuka?"—she felt him tense a little—"…that I…also…want to be forever with you?" letting out a sigh, Sakura knew that she won't ever regret this decision she made. There's no way would she be able to go on if she wasn't with him mentally, emotionally, or physically.

It was suddenly even colder than before when Sasuke dragged them into the water, making Sakura hold tighter to him to conserve some warmth. "Then, let's finish what we started in Konoha," he whispered lovingly before gently brushing his lips over hers. Immediately, both felt relieved and happy that they were with each other again. They didn't know how long they would be even able to last without this. The need for each other, to feel the other's gentle, soft touch. The first of the kiss was just a feathery touch like a greeting with their eyes opened. The second time was with more feeling as they closed their eyes tightly, both each had an expression of sadness. They knew that if they didn't do this now then they'll regret for the rest of their lives. Soon, Sasuke heard her low heavy breathing quicken as she wrapped her arms around his neck as if he could disappear at any given moment.

The water moved in gentle waves around them as Sasuke slowly guided them to the bank, but stopped when they were five feet towards it. The feel of her breasts pushed up against him made him embrace her tighter like she did him. Pulling away briefly, Sasuke looked down at the woman he had grown to love. "Sakura, no matter what happens in the future, know that you'll always have my heart," he declared as he slipped the haori off her shoulders to expose her skin through the white shirt. Noticing the bandages wrapped around her chest, he leaned down and gave a kiss on the area above her heart. When he looked up, he saw, that even though her face was composed, just by looking into her eyes that he knew that he had her heart as well. However, before he can continue he saw the shuriken necklace she wore and looked at the kanji written on it. He chuckled a bit and kissed her forehead. "Life is much more important, isn't it?"

She nodded. "Hai, especially with your beloved," she replied, staring at the dark oceans of his eyes. "Sasuke-kun, anata o aishite imasu," she said with a sorrow-filled expression that Sasuke instantly swooped down to kiss away her pain which she returned with just as much passion and longing. His fingers trailed the length of her spine as Sakura pushed herself against him. Her fingers tangled themselves into his unruly hair, feeling so overwhelmed that she could cry at any second. Sliding her hands down to his neck and to his chest, she began to unbutton his shirt with no rush at all. She wanted to savor every moment she had with him, so she took as much time as she could.

"Sakura," he murmured her name with each second that their lips were free. Bringing his hands under her shirt, he felt the bandage and unwound them so that they fell gracefully to the water and floated around her like a halo. As her lips moved more feverously, Sasuke parted her lips lightly, not wanting to startle her. Feeling his question, the young woman opened her mouth for him to feel his warm wet tongue glide itself inside her mouth. She gasped a little when she felt his large hand cup her breast and began massaging it. Throwing her head to the side, Sakura let out a small moan as the sensation that flowed through her take over her being. Her heart pounded harshly against her ribcage that it seemed impossible for her to even try to breathe at the moment. But that suited her fine.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had a hard time trying to not rip off all of her clothes at the moment upon feeling her nails digging into his shoulder as he continued his ministrations on her breasts. He noticed unconsciously that Sakura was rubbing her thigh against his aching member, making him groan in pleasure. Taking off her shirt and leading soft butterfly kisses from her neck to her shoulder to her collar bone, Sasuke moved his hand that was supported her back lower to her front and in between her thighs, rubbing them as he moved his way to her center. In return, Sakura ran her nails lightly down his back while kissing him affectionately at the crook of his neck.

"Sasuke-kun…promise me…" she moaned, unable to stop the tears that suddenly flowed. Accidentally, as he glanced up with lust and yearn-filled eyes, he pushed his palm up to her burning core, making her moan even louder from her throat. Looking down to see his water dripping face, Sakura placed a soft hand on his cheek, crying softly. "Promise me we'll see each other again…" she sobbed.

His eyes widen at the request and then became soft after he nodded. "I promise," he answered and kissed her the hollow at the base of her neck. Slipping off her skirt along with her panties, Sasuke was surprised when he was just about to move his away; Sakura stopped him from doing so and push his hand against her organ. Her naked chest rose up and down heavily as her head lulled to the side with one hand on his neck to keep her from falling back. She opened her eyes to plead at him, begging him to continue what he was doing. But he didn't know what he did; so looking down at his hand which was still held by hers, he pushed again but this time harder than before. Her moan turned into a tired, throaty cry.

"Ah…Sasuke-kun…" she murmured.

He smiled lightly when he heard his name being called and bent his head to take one of her supple nipple into his mouth, giving him the pleasure of her moans. He sucked on it slowly, his tongue teasing her while she cried louder pulling him closer to her. Her legs were on either side of his hips as he took two fingers into her. At first, Sakura's eyes had snapped open as she saw his fingers move in and out of her. The faster he move, the more she couldn't concentrate and instinctively she moved her hips in rhythm with his fingers. Her short breaths became pants as she pushed up and down on him. The young man held her waist tighter against his chest, ignoring the sounds of the sloshing waves that she was causing. His lips moved in between her breasts as he licked her valley. He groaned in pleasure and annoyance when he felt the ache in his pants grow. Giving one last push, Sakura screamed, burying her face into his neck when she felt her walls tightened around his fingers. Sasuke felt like he was going to explode after that, but wasn't about to let that happen until they both got what they finally wanted.

Sliding his cum soaked hand, Sasuke almost chuckled when he listened to her whimper from the retreat. Bringing his lips to her, he teased her earlobe before blowing at it and whispered huskily, "Shinpai shinaide, Sakura. My fingers aren't the only things that can do that to you." Making a point, he pushed his hips into hers.

She squeaked a little when she felt his poking member at her entrance. Though, that was enough to make her moan when he rub it teasingly at her. Her hands instantly flew to his pants, trying to get of the thing that was blocking her way. Sasuke smirked and took her tiny hands in his. "Be patience," he said kissing her nose and then he suddenly sighed. "Please…I don't want this to be some sort of _'fling'._"

"I know, Sasuke-kun," she whispered at his lips. "I want this to last forever, too. So continue for me." She knew the whole time that he was holding back. He didn't want to make her think that he was going to use her and that, in itself made her very happy and even more eager to bond with him. Kissing him lightly on the cheek, Sakura hugged Sasuke with all of her being. "Sasuke-kun, don't make me wait. Soshite, Sasuke-kun, don't' hold back, either."

His eyes widen at her comment. She really does want him no matter what. Closing his eyes, he brought his lips to her smooth shoulder, brushed softly at it as he brought them back on the bank of the river. Laying her down on the prickly grass, he looked over her body, noticing the little gleam the small beads of water gave. Glancing at her body one more time, Sasuke finally dipped his head down to kiss her. Slowly, he entered her tight entrance, wincing when he saw Sakura's eyes clench immediately at the intrusion as she bit her lips to stop the scream from escaping. But the pain was too hard to ignore even when he moved even an inch.

"Sakura, we don't have to do this if it hurts too much," Sasuke murmured reassuringly while stroking the wet pink hair from her face. As he began to slide out, Sakura grabbed his arm with a pleading gaze.

"Onegai…" she panted. "Yamete…don't leave. I'll be fine, please."

"Are you sure? I don't want to—" His sentence was never finished when Sakura suddenly yanked his head towards her and kissed him harshly. When the kiss went on longer than he had thought, he realized that Sakura wanted him to just do it already. And so that's what he did. Holding her close to him, Sasuke gave a hard thrust into her, feeling guilty when her body went tense and her legs tightened around his hips.

"Ah!" Sakura cried while little beads of tears round the edges of her eyelids. "Just move, Sasuke-kun. Daijoubu," she said shakily.

But Sasuke was somewhere else already. Upon breaking her virginity, Sasuke felt something different than what he had felt on the days he was separate from her. He felt…more complete. The feel of her body against his, the sound of her voice moaning his name, the taste of her lips on his, the sight of her in front of him, and the smell of her was so much better than he could have ever imagined. His mind was clouded by the scent of her neck as he began kissing it. Following her demands, Sasuke started to move in and out, ignoring her cries and digging nails.

"Sakura…" he murmured, bringing his right hand to her breast and kneading it. Soon, the pain for her faded away as he quickened his pace. It gradually became hotter and unbearable for them both.

"Ah…Sas—oh! Sasuke!" she cried, feeling his member thrust into her. With rhythmic movement, Sakura arched her back feeling the pleasure racked throughout her entire body. Her fingers roughly tangled themselves in his hair while wrapping her legs higher on his hips given him more penetration. "Faster…!"

Answering, he pushed harder, feeling his groin become more sexual to her core. He groaned when it became more difficult for him to move due to the oncoming release. And he knew Sakura felt it as well as her moans of pleasure became even louder cries. As it drew nearer and nearer, Sasuke immediately gripped her hips as he gave a quick harsh thrust, thus relieving both him and her. Sakura screamed his name as her body went limp.

At this moment, Sasuke would've have collapsed on her, but held his position to stare at her green eyes that held so much love for him at the moment. Smiling tiredly, his lips touched her lips briefly before he felt himself being rolled over. Blinking at the sight before, Sasuke was about to get up but her small hands stopped him from doing so by putting one on her breast. "Let me…" that was all she had to say before they started again. Her legs pumped as much strength they can as she pushed up and down along his length. Sasuke, on the other hand, thrust upwards as she came down, making her moan whenever he would hit a sensitive spot. She threw her head back and gave out throaty pants while Sasuke fondled her bouncing breasts. When weakness took over for a second, she collapsed on him, hands on his chest, breathing heavily as she did so. Sitting himself up, Sasuke licked her neck, rocking her with him.

"Sasuke…d-deeper…" she breathed, feeling her walls tightened again. Her breaths became jagged as Sasuke went faster again. Letting out tiny whimpers, Sakura bounced on Sasuke, helping him. As the time went by, her core began to hurt more and more, but she ignored it and pushed with Sasuke. The pleasure was too much for her to stop. It felt so good feeling him inside her like this. Sasuke felt the same way. He never thought something like this could ever be enjoyable. Damn, was he wrong. Letting his and hers third orgasm finally come, Sasuke felt the young woman's body go limp, leaning into the warm of his body. Lying back down, he inhaled slowly, trying to catch his breath as Sakura just laid in her position on top of him. When he had finally regained even breaths, he was an inch from moving out of her when she gasped and grabbed his arms.

"Don't!" she cried weakly, lifting her head to stare at him tiredly. From the corner of her eyes, he saw her tears bout ready to flood over.

Understanding her meaning, Sasuke lied back down, embracing her and this new feeling they had both shared. Personally, he didn't want to move out, either, but was afraid for Sakura's sake. "Arigatou, Sakura," he murmured in her hair lovingly, while letting his fingers float along her arms, giving her goose bumps. Hearing her sigh, he kissed the top of her head before feeling her relax and sleep. However, after several minutes, Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the sky as he clenched his jaw tightly. _'Tomorrow…tomorrow, we'll begin…' _he thought determinedly to himself. Tomorrow he knew will only be the beginning of utter chaos…

* * *

Ah...! I can see it now! I can see a thousand daggers being thrown at me for another cliff hanger I left! Muwahahahaha! Dude, I can't kept it! I just love torturing you guys especially my good friend who I know will email back to me, saying "WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" Trust me, my friend does this a lot when I leave cliffhangers (which is like every damn chapter! LOL!)! Man, I'm evil! Okay now review! 


	19. Chapter XIX: The Exposition

Alright! I've finally updated on this damn chapter! Sheesh! Anyways, this isn't edited, so please excuse my grammatical errors! XP! I tried to write this as fast as I can to update on Thanksgiving! Yeah, I know it's late, but hey, I tried! So enjoy this uneventful chapter!

Standard disclaimer

* * *

Chapter XIX: The Exposition

By: Winter's Holly

"_Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.__" Seneca_

_21__st__ April…Konohagakure no Sato…6: 03 am…_

"Tsunade!" The doors to the Hokage's office flew open violently to reveal a disheveled Shizune with a distraught expression.

Noticing this, said Hokage stood up immediately in alarm. "Shizune? Doushita?" she questioned instantly, composing a calm air.

The young woman went to the desk, placing her hands on the surface to support herself as she calmed her jagged panting. After moments of catching her breath, Shizune gazed gravely at the Godaime. "Orochimaru was found near Akari no Sato yesterday. Sai gave us his confirmation just moments ago."

The Godaime frowned upon hearing this bad news and placed her hand on her chin to think about this situation. "Why is he coming out now?" she muttered to herself, though, what she was thinking was probably correct. "And why Aka…ri…no…oh no…" Her eyes widened in realization when the information finally clicked with a horrific sound in her head. She looked at her apprentice with large gold eyes in fear and alarm. "Shizune, send me Team 10 at once," she ordered immediately.

"What? Tsunade-sama? What's going on?" Shizune asked worried at what might happen to Sakura.

"Orochimaru is going after Sakura," the woman responded in a hard tone. Turning to the medic with a glare, she said, "And he's going to use Sasuke to do this."

"Nani?!"

Getting irritated that Shizune was wasting time here, the Hokage gave out a growl. "Just get the team here to me, Shizune!"

Blinking at the sudden demand, the young woman nodded and was about to exit when the Godaime's voice caught her. "Bring Naruto as well."

"Hai!" With that, Shizune left with a puff of smoke, leaving Tsunade to glare murderously out the window.

-o0o-

Naruto was under the falls that Yamato-taichou created for him to cut with his wind element while Kakashi sat on a boulder reading his book, and Yamato was nearby, ready just in case the Kyuubi tried to take over again. The blonde was shirtless with the waterfall pounding harshly on him while he concentrated. His arms were outstretched before him with the palms hovering before the cliff as chakra poured from it in a blue glow.

_'Chikushou!' _he thought angrily. Eventually, Naruto backed up a bit to make the hand signs to his signature jutsu. _'Taijuu Kage Bushin no Jutsu!'_

Instantly, along the length of the falls, were thousands of Naruto, using all the strength they had to cut through the mountain. "Argh! Ikuze!" he shouted, trying to release a larger amount of chakra from the Kyuubi. Soon, the crimson chakra quickly engulfed Naruto as the rage slowly possessed him. The young man crouched lowly on his legs, giving a near silent growl. His skin felt hot as if he were literally on fire. A harsh pounding was felt in his head making him dizzy and light-headed. Everything around him immediately began to blur fast while in his mind's eye they became red. The sudden lust for blood was great in him as he turned around with a sadistic grin on his lips. Quickly, Naruto dispelled his jutsu and jumped down a few feet away from Kakashi and Yamato who were instantly in positioned to stop Naruto. The boy chuckled before taking off on full speed towards them with the intent to kill.

Right at the moment, however, bindings sprang forth from the ground, successfully bringing the Kyuubi down. Yamato winced a bit as he held back the Kyuubi, trying to seal it back in place. _'This would be much easier if Sakura was here! Kuso!'_ he thought frustrated, as his breathing eased when the demon's chakra and the two tails that appeared dissipated.

Yamato release the jutsu only to lean over to catch his breath. While doing so he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at Kakashi. "He's getting stronger everyday, and everyday it's getting harder to control," the taichou stated, concentrating his gaze on a passed out Naruto.

Kakashi didn't say anything, but only continued to stare at his student. _'Yes, but will he be able to fend off the Akatsuki should they come after him once more?'_

Right when he was about to get Naruto, a puff of smoke to the right gained his attention. It was an ANBU ninja. The jounin's eye narrowed, knowing only the Hokage would send an ANBU if the situation was important. Turning to Yamato, he gestured to Naruto while he talked with the ninja. When they finally met face to face, the jounin questioned first. "What is your business here?"

And quickly, the other man answered brusquely, "Hokage-sama wishes to see Uzumaki Naruto."

At this Kakashi raised his gray brow in curiosity and glanced at the boy. "Naruto? Nande?"

-o0o-

"Nee, Shikamaru-kun?" Ino called out to her boyfriend as she leaned over his shoulder to look at him.

Shikamaru glanced lazily over his shoulder where the sound came from and gave a grunt, indicating that he was listening. "Nande?" he asked with a bored expression on his face.

A frown appeared on the blonde as she let out a small sigh and sat down beside as Chouji stared at the two from across. "You've heard what's been going around lately, haven't you?" she asked only getting silence as an answer to continue. "Well, they said that Orochimaru was in the village Sakura was in. Do you think that he—?"

"Ino," Shikamaru sighed while Chouji placed a hand on Ino's to comfort. "Everything's going to be alright. Orochimaru isn't going to get to her." He then turned to Chouji with a serious expression. "And Sasuke isn't going to run from us again. That or he'll actually cooperate with Orochimaru in abducting Sakura."

Ino gasped and lowered her head at the thought of her friend suddenly betraying the village like Sasuke. "Demo, she wouldn't actually follow him, would she?"

"We really doubt she would, considering he was the one who ruin her life," Chouji intercepted. "And Sakura can—"

"Team 10, you are needed in the Hokage's office right now." An ANBU black op appeared in front of the team while they were having one of their chats by the park. After delivering the message, he disappeared, leaving the alert team.

Chouji looked at Shikamaru and then Ino, giving each a nod. Instantly the three did the hand signs required to transport themselves to the office quickly. When there and landing with a light thump, they noticed that another person besides their own team was there. In the corner was Naruto slumping lazily while Kakashi tried to keep him standing and Yamato watching over. Shikamaru frowned and went over to scrutinize his friend. Pointing at the sleeping boy and looking at the older man, he said, "Doushita?"

"Just exhaustion," Kakashi answered and received a nod from the genius. Yamato just remained quiet, not saying what had occurred earlier.

Ino came over and poked the boy on the forehead and got no reaction and shrugged her shoulders. "I wonder what's so urgent that Hokage-sama would need our team. And why are you here, Kakashi-sensei?"

"We were also called here by the Hokage," he said, reading Shikamaru's expression, knowing that he would understand.

"You mean…?" the young man started while the jounin nodded with a closed eye.

Before he could say anything further, the door opened to have the Godaime and her assistant, Shizune, right behind her. As she took her seat, all waited for her to speak. Her folded hands gave her an intimidating air as her eyes just glares into the distance, possibly cursing whatever entity out there for doing this to her apprentice. Giving a long heavy sigh, Tsunade leans back into her chair and narrows her eyes at each and every one of them presented when her gaze landed on Kakashi and their eyes met for a second.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I summoned you here so suddenly," she started as her hands went back in front of her face. "Well, we have a situation on our hands that must be dealt with immediately. Orochimaru is in Akari no Sato where Sakura and Sai is currently at, performing their mission. Just this morning, Sai sent a message requesting that we send backup. He also reported that Sasuke was also with them. If we can get Sakura out of there along with Sasuke, we'll bring him in for interrogation. Now I want you, Shikamaru, and your team to join with Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato. Bring back Uchiha Sasuke if you can as well when retrieving Haruno Sakura. Is that understood?"

"Hai!" they chorused as a moan was heard. They all turned towards the lump beside Kakashi as Naruto woke up, blinking a couple of times before taking in his new surroundings.

"Hmm?" he moaned as he squinted his eyes at the blonde woman who gave him a lifted brow gaze. "Tsunade-baachan? What's going on?"

Said 'baachan' twitched her brows to control her anger. Shizune only gave a nervous chuckle and decided to answer for her. "Naruto-kun, you have a new mission," she informed as his blue eyes lit up.

"Hontou?!" he exclaimed, but he was soon shocked by the next words he was told.

"It's Orochimaru," Shikamaru said before the older woman could say anything. Everyone became silent at that moment.

Pushing himself off the wall, Naruto walked up to Tsunade calmly as he put both hands on her desk quietly. Tsunade frowned when she felt his anger rolling off him as chakra tried to take over again. Yamato immediately comes up to stop it, but Naruto puts his hand up, telling him he had it under control. Lifting his head, his pupils were now slit and his irises red. "Is the teme with him?" he growled while the woman remained nonchalantly. Ino clutched Shikamaru's in fear.

The Godaime nodded. "Sakura's in Akari no Sato. Find her and you'll find him," she said impassively, knowing that Naruto would be able to save them. "Go. All of you will leave immediately." With that, she turned from them with a resolute expression etched across her face. Team 10 quickly disappeared to get ready, but only the three remaining members of Team 7 stayed where they were. Tsunade noticed this and clicked her tongue in irritation as she faced them with a peeved expression. "What are you three standing here for? Go on already!"

Kakashi was the first one to speak up. "We'll never make it, you know," he said as the woman turned to look at the corner while clenching her hands together, making them bleed.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune said in worry as she healed her hands.

"It takes three days to get there," he continued. "And Sai said he saw Orochimaru yesterday that means only he and Sakura will be the only ones—"

"Wakatteiru no!" Tsunade growled as she slammed her fist on the desk. "Wakatteiru no, demo…demo…"

"We'll get her back!" Naruto cried out in determination. "And if I couldn't get her back, either, then I'll search for the both of them to the ends of this earth! I will find Sasuke and Sakura! I promise!"

_'If I can't find them, how can I even call myself their friend?' _

His fists clenched tightly as that thought passed through his mind, giving him a new determination to find his family. "I will find them," he repeated, this time with more strength and firmness in his voice.

Kakashi stared at the young man with a smile on his masked face. _'He's finally grown up.'_

The Godaime sighed and rubbed her temples then gave Naruto a skeptical gaze. "I'll keep you to that promise, you know," she warned with a bit of joking in it.

Of course, Naruto smirked while placing one hand on his hip while the other pointed towards himself. "I know! I won't be able to become Hokage if I don't fulfill my promises!"

"You better or I'll demote you to genin forever," was her reply while Naruto gave a shocked gape at her.

He pouted and folded his arms over his chest. "I will bring them back, one way or another."

After hearing his declaration again, the room went quiet as everyone had a feeling that he will carry out his promise. It was amazing how he was able to make them feel hopeful, making them able to believe in him, despite how hopeless the situation seems. Tsunade smiled, remembering when he won their bet on the Rasengan. He really made her believe alright.

However, knowing it was great to see his 'awesomeness' and all, he still needs to get on with the mission already. The woman cleared her throat. "Uh, aren't you going to get ready, yet, Naruto?"

Instantly a frown was on his face as he thought about her words. Realization soon dawned on him as he gave a loud shout and ran out of the office to get packing. "Why didn't you say anything, Baachan?!" Naruto yelled while giving a hasty wave of his hand. "See you in a few, Kakashi-sensei! Yamato-taichou!"

Silence lingered for a while before Kakashi turned to Tsunade. "He certainly does give us hope to believe in him, doesn't he?"

She chuckled and smiled kindly out the window. "He does. That boy is going to be a great Hokage like none other before him." When it was quiet again, she lifted a brow and looked at Kakashi and Yamato. "Well, what the hell are you still standing here for? Get your asses ready for the mission, dumbass!"

Shizune only twitched at her Hokage's sudden change in behavior, now understanding why it rubbed off on Sakura. The two were exactly alike: great looks, great skills, but bad temper. Lovely combination, eh?

-o0o-

In the home above the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Ino was slowly gathering her clothes in a daze as she thought about what had happened to Sakura two weeks ago. After Sasuke left, she had gone into an even deeper depression, forcing herself away from others. Ino's eyes became half-lidded as she knew what the outcome would be when Sakura recovers from her amnesia. _'She won't hate, but she won't love him either,' _Ino thought as a harsh sigh escaped her lips. _'Sakura, she'll—she'll probably disappear and be declared as a missing-nin or…she'll—no! She wouldn't do that, would she?' _Ino bit her lip in uncertainty, knowing that her best friend could be rash if pushed into a tight situation like when they were in the chuunin exams in the Forest of Death. _'Demo…she'll be torn. Sakura, what will you do?'_

_Knock! Knock!_

"Ino-chan?" her mother called from the door, surprising the young woman. Sensing her distress, Yamanaka-san frowned and walked up beside her daughter to pick up the kunai she had dropped earlier. "Daijoubu desuka?"

"Nandemo nai desu, Kaasan," Ino said to her mother, giving another faint sigh.

Her mother sat on the bed and saw the picture which had her daughter and her best friend of when they were still twelve. Sakura was giving Ino a friendly hug while Ino had her back towards the camera with a smile. Taking it, she smiled. "I remember when you told me that you and Sakura-chan are best friends again. I was so happy. I bet her mother was as well," she said as Ino sat beside her, staring at the photo that was taken a few days after the Hokage's inauguration. "You help that girl so much, Ino-chan. Though, you two broke that friendship over a boy, you were still a good friend to Sakura-chan. I'm proud of you."

Ino didn't know what to say. What her mother said had made her move to tears. She lowered her head into her hands with a bitter smile, trying to cover her sadness. "A-arigatou, Okaasan…but I feel that I won't be able to help Sakura from herself." Ino turned her mother with a sad grin. "Everyday, she loses someone, Kaasan. I don't know how to help her anymore."

"It'll be alright, Ino-chan. The least you can do is be with her in her time of need," Yamanaka-san comforted.

"And when will that be?" the blonde scoffed bitterly. "Everything I've tried isn't even working."

Yamanaka-san sighed and put her arm around Ino. "Look, it may seem hopeless and things are useless, but when the time comes, when everyone you care is hurt and the only comfort you can offer is by being there, then do it. There are some people who will need more that than they know, Ino-chan. So do the best you can and be there."

Finally when the reassurance sunk in, the girl gave a grateful smile to her mother and leaned in to hug her. "Arigatou, Okaasan," Ino whispered.

After a moment, Yamanaka-san chuckled a bit. "Let me help you. You'll be late and it'll be my fault."

"Don't worry about it, Kaasan."

-o0o-

When he got home from the Hokage tower, Naruto went straight to the bathroom to wash his face and clear his crowded mind. Sighing, he turned off the faucet and just stood there leaning on the sink with his head bowed down. The water dripped down his handsome yet boyish face as his bright blonde hair hung, making him look seductive. In his mind, everything was so cluttered from Sakura's possible kidnap to his extended promise to his new technique. Taking in a deep breath, Naruto straightened himself up whilst staring at his reflection in the mirror. He frowned, noticing how much he had changed in the past three years. All of his baby fat was gone now, replacing his childish face with a more mature and grown up one. His clothes were still orange but now had black—another sign that he's growing up. But the most important change was expression. After hearing about what had happened to Sakura three years back, the grin was barely there anymore. And now his life is in more danger than before since the Akatsuki is after him twenty-four seven.

_'Damn, my life's starting to turn into some agenda,' _he thought sardonically, taking the towel off the ring and wiping his face.

Stepping into his room, Naruto began gather the necessities for his mission. After ten minutes, the young man gazed at his room before closing the door and locking it. As he jumped from roof to roof, only one thought lingered in his mind: _'I will get you back Sakura.'_

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_Told you! Very uneventful right? But at least you got to see what was happening in Konoha for a bit! You know the drill! Please review! OR WAIT MANY MONTHS OF SUSPENSE! I know! I'm evil! It's what I do! LOL!

W.H. Out!

Review, please!


	20. Chapter XX: The Greatest Sacrifice

**ALRIGHT! The last chapter! This is part one! And I've got part two as well...ish! Anyways, if you haven't seen my profile yet, then you should and it'll explain why I'm making this a last chapter and leaving you hanging that you'll kill me! LOL! I didn't think that the story would be so long so I've divided it into three parts, making it the Memoirs Trilogy! The second part will be called "Remember You Always," so be on the look out for that some time soon! Anyways, it's 7: 34 am now and I've got to go to school! So have fun reading it! It's mostly action!**

**Disclaimer: Does it look like I own it?**

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Chapter XX Special: The Greatest Sacrifice 

_By: Winter's Holly_

"_We sacrifice because we are ninja; we can't have any emotions no matter how human we are." Sakura_

_24__th__ of April…Border of Konohagakure to Otogakure…3: 10 am…_

The stars were still glistening faintly as the night chill blew threw the trees as the leaves rustled calmly. The sounds of the water in the nearby streams and rivers made the darkness seem bearable compared to other night spent in silence. It was a lovely night to sum it up. Nothing can break through this serene place. But that's only exaggerating it a bit, isn't it? Uchiha Sasuke sat on the bank of the river while the unconscious girl beside him continued her forced slumber. The light of the moon reflected off the glimmering water as the fireflies hovering around, making it all too peaceful. Taking up a small pebble, Sasuke recalled the last events after his moment with Sakura.

_Three days ago…Akari no Sato…_

_His dark orbs soon opened to the world as the sun had barely risen from the horizon, giving the sky a mauve hue. The rushing of the waterfall nearby seemed to alert the young Uchiha to his surroundings as he sat up with a start. But he was unable to go very far due to a weight on his chest. Looking down with a cursory glance, Sasuke realized that it was Sakura on him. She slept peacefully as if his movements didn't bother her. His eyes soften her form, noticing how she curled on his body due to the cold air. Taking his white shirt, which was now thankfully dry, Sasuke wrapped with around her tiny body, keeping her modesty. Gently, he moved her off and began to dress in his pants instead and went to the bank to wash his face of the drowsiness. _

_When he was done, Sasuke went back to Sakura and began to dress her himself, not wanting her to catch a cold. However, after he had put on her pants, he was about to put on her chained shirt until he noticed the wounds that refused to heal. Softly and almost feather-like, he ran his fingers on the length of the wounds until it made the young woman shiver. _

_"Sa…su…ke…kun," she whispered softly, catching the said man off guard. _

_Sasuke moved back a bit to look at her with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, thoughts of last night all came back to him, making him question himself in anger. Why did he do that in the first place? As much as he wanted to, why did he choose her of all people? He wanted to marry a person worthy enough to bear his children and yet…he chose her! Why?! He hasn't even completed his first goal why is he starting his second goal now? But most of all, why, truly, why did he choose Sakura? She could have been someone else, not him. He was a total ass to her and yet he thinks that he can still find his way back to her? No! That was a stupid and rash move! He shouldn't have been with her at all! He shouldn't have been her first! He shouldn't have been her first kiss! But through all the times he and she have been together, he was always her first no matter how hard he tried not to be. _

_Feeling frustrated and ashamed of himself, Sasuke went to wake Sakura up, not caring if he was being rude at the moment. He had to fix this, whether it'll hurt her or not. He was not going to allow her to be like him, nor take his path. He was going to hurt her in every way possible._

_"Sakura, wake up," Sasuke urged, shaking the girl's shoulder. "Sakura!"_

_The kunoichi stirred a bit while giving a groan and frowned at the way she was rudely awoken. "Hmm…nani yo, Sasuke?" she asked groggily, sitting up while rubbing her eyes._

_Sasuke stood up with his back turned to her as Sakura lifted a brow in question with his distant behavior. "Get dressed, quickly," he ordered, ignoring her gaze on his back._

_Confused, Sakura just did as she was told. And when she was done, the kunoichi handed back the Uchiha's shirt. However, as soon as Sasuke slipped it back on, he unsheathed his Kusanagi and went into a fighting stance. All the while, his handsome face was kept in a calm composure._

_Seeing this, Sakura wasn't surprised at all. She, too, got into a stance with a bitter smirk. "Naruhodo...you used me, Uchiha. To get started on your second ambition?" As she assumed this, the smirk soon turned into a deeper frown with each word as anger and pain filled her gaze. "I knew this was too good to be true."_

_Sasuke didn't say a word, but took a step forward. _

_"Dakara…this is the end…of you and…" Sakura didn't finish her sentence as she closed her eyes and appeared behind Sasuke. When she opened them again, everything seemed like nothing in her eyes. All she saw now was the darkness._

_On alert, Sasuke quickly around to his right while swinging the katana to get the young woman. His Sharingan automatically activated to see her next movement and Sasuke instantly did a back flip in order to avoid the round house kick shooting at him. Now squatting when he landed, his hands moved swiftly to summon the Chidori. _

_Seeing this, Sakura smirked and performed her hand signs to absorb chakra. _'He won't be able to get me if I absorb of all his chakra,' _Sakura thought with a smug grin. However, when the ninja was about to break into a run, she was held back. _

_"What the…?!" Sakura said as she glanced down to see two serpents wrapped around her ankles, keeping her in place. Gasping slightly, Sakura snapped her head up to see Sasuke heading her way and fast. "Shit! Let go! Let go!" the pink-haired kunoichi muttered as she struggled to get away._

_Sasuke was almost there until Sakura bent down and punch the earth, thus destroying their sanctuary. This made his scoff. _'This really is the end,'_ he thought nostalgic of the night before. _'Only we would know what happened here.'

_Sakura jumped in the air, not allowing Sasuke to hit her with his deadly attack. But she didn't get too far as he wrapped his chakra rope around her leg and yanked her back roughly. At the same time, Sasuke had pulled back his right arm and when Sakura was near enough, he snapped his punch into her abdomen. Blood flew from her mouth as she let out a pain-filled groan. _

_The girl was flung on the other side and landed in the river. Nonchalantly, Sasuke picked his katana and walked onto the surface of the gleaming water. He stopped when a hand emerged and a loud intake of air was heard. Sakura climbed on the water weakly as she coughed out both blood and water. When she was fully on the surface, Sakura calmed her breathing and glared hatefully at the stoic Uchiha before her. _

_"I can see that you're not holding back," she stated, getting up on her feet again. Again, the young man said no words. And this angered her more. "Why won't you say anything?! Uchiha!"_

_Silence was her only answer._

_The kunoichi growled as she rashly rushed forward with a chakra-filled fist. "Say something, godammit!" she screamed angrily. Just when Sakura was about to hit him, Sasuke disappeared causing Sakura to attack at the river instead. Water exploded into the air like a large hurricane. The Uchiha was just a couple of feet behind her as she snapped around, panting heavily. The water now fell as if it had begun to rain harshly, drenching both ninja. As she tried to catch her breath, Sakura felt that her wounds had opened up severely and that if she didn't get help soon, she would die. _

'I-I need to get out of here,' _she thought, moving back slowly. _'I have to get—AH!'

_While her feet moved back slowly, Sakura failed to notice that there was a deadlier presence behind her than Sasuke. And the latter actually noticed this, but didn't say anything and just left the man to do his work._

_A humongous snake appeared and wasted no time in wrapping around the weak girl, slowly suffocating her. When all of the water was gone, Orochimaru revealed himself to the pair with a calm smile with Kabuto trailing behind. Now that he was standing in front of his snake, the Sannin chuckled lightly as he caressed her cheek. _

_"There is nothing that you can do now, dear Sakura-chan," he said softly, his golden eyes more haunting than ever. _

_The girl choked as the snake squeezed tighter. "O-omae…bastard," she managed to say before succumbing to darkness._

_The man chuckled and glanced over to Sasuke who stood quietly with his gaze elsewhere. "Good job, Sasuke-kun," he praised and took the girl into his arms while releasing the snake. "Kabuto, I need you to heal her wounds, please. We can't have her damaged, can we?"_

_"Hai, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto replied, pushing the bridge of his glasses up and began to heal Sakura. _

_Orochimaru strolled slowly to Sasuke until he was beside the young man. Sasuke kept his silence and his cold behavior, ignoring the malicious gaze that was pointed at him. "Did you have fun, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru asked innocently, noticing the clenched fists. "Humph…I hope you did because you're going to do it more with her," he said casually, catching the attention of the Uchiha. "Why do you seem so surprised? I've also noticed her special abilities as well. They may not be as significant as yours, but they will help improve the child that you and she will create for me."_

_"What? You want me and Sakura to…?" Sasuke couldn't bring himself to say it. But there is no way in hell that he would do that if only for Orochimaru to take over that child instead._

_Sensing his defiance, Orochimaru came up closer than the young man would have liked. "Remember our agreement, Sasuke-kun. My powers for your body. Well…it's more like your child now," he murmured with a sadistic grin. _

_"Orochimaru-san, it's done," Kabuto called._

_The Sannin smiled as Sasuke glared at him. "Remember my words," he whispered before going back to Kabuto._

-

Sasuke sighed faintly before tossing the pebble across the water's surface, making tiny ripples. Footsteps were soon heard coming back through the large grass and Orochimaru and Kabuto reappeared. Again, that damn smirk was on his face when he glanced at Sasuke.

"Come now, Sasuke-kun," he said benevolently. "It's time for us to go now. I'm sure your friends are only half a day's away from us now."

Sasuke stood up while taking his time as he went to carry Sakura once more on his back. Kabuto was earlier ordered to carry her, however, Sasuke didn't allow that, so carried her himself. As they began their journey once more to Oto, Sakura muttered something, causing him to have his eyes widen.

_"Die…Uchiha…I…ta…chi…"_

_-Scene 2-_

_24__th__ of April…12: 24 pm…Five days and a half into the chase…Team Konoha…_

Jumping from branch to branch quickly with light taps were five shinobi from Konoha in a desperate chase to bring back one of the most valuable person, Haruno Sakura. Team Kakashi and Team 10 had stopped by the village a couple of days ago to heal Sai and continued the pursuit. He had reported that Orochimaru intended to use Sakura in some plan to destroy Konoha. And with that everyone was pushing themselves harder than before in hopes of saving the Godaime's apprentice.

Ahead of the two teams was a small pug. Kakashi was in front next to Pakkun. "Pakkun, how far are we?" Kakashi asked the little dog.

Pakkun turned back with that bored look on his face. "We're getting close," he answered in a deep voice. "They're at the border."

Naruto's ears perked up upon hearing this. He sped up so that he was now next to Kakashi. A look of disturbance was etched across his whiskered face. "You said _the _border," the shinobi emphasized. "Do you mean at…?"

"The Valley of the End," Kakashi confirmed for him as Naruto gave him a wary glance.

His head lowered in uncertainty. "If that's true, then…we have to get there quickly," he finished with a fierce gaze and burst forth before everyone with a renewed strength.

Shikamaru frowned when he saw this and shook his head. "Hasty as usual," he muttered as Ino elbowed him. "Itai! What was that for?!"

"He's not being hasty!" she said reproachfully. "Sakura is our friend. We have to hurry."

"I know, Ino, I know," the young man sighed.

Chouji glanced at the couple and then at the blonde boy up front. "But…I wonder where he's getting all that stamina. We've been traveling nonstop—save for the little breaks," he observed.

Yamato heard Team 10's conversation and glanced at Naruto with wariness. _'He's getting stronger and stronger by the minute. But if this keeps on progressing just like Jiraiya said he'll definitely die.' _His onyx orbs narrowed. _'Let's just pray we get Sakura back before the Kyuubi shows up or it'll be disastrous.'_

-_Scene 3-_

_The Valley of the End…_

Finally the teams made to the border and stood on the head of the Sadaime. Across from them with the wind blowing around them was Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto. And there beside Sasuke was a snake holding the unconscious Sakura. Seeing this, Naruto grew angrier and began to clutch his head. Kakashi was immediately at his side, telling him to calm down.

"Wakatteiru…" Naruto grunt as the chakra very reluctantly died down a bit. Walking forward with narrowed crimson eyes, Naruto took a deep breath. "SASUKE!"

"Yo, Usuratonkachi," Sasuke greeted back in the same manner he had so many years ago. The Uchiha glanced at Sakura who was now beginning to wake up.

_'Everything's so blurry…Where…am I?'_

Sea foam green eyes were revealed as Sakura strained to move her neck up. "W-where am I?" she asked again, noticing the majestic waterfall to her left. She looked up again to see the giant statue of the first Hokage. "S-Sadaime?" Her brows furrowed more in confusion. "Where the hell am I?!"

A chuckle was heard at the girl snapped her head towards the source of the sound. "Now, now, Sakura-chan," Orochimaru said. "There's no need to be impatient."

"You!"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out loudly.

Her gaze was moved to the other side as she finally noticed the orange blob. Behind him were her friends. She blinked a couple of times to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. "I-Ino?"

"Sakura, don't worry! We'll save you!" the Yamanaka cried back.

Again the laughter filled the air with tension as everybody averted their gazes on the only Sannin. "Gomene, but we'll not have any of that." With that said, a sudden force pushed everyone but Naruto back, sending them thousands of yards away. When he was satisfied with his work, the Sannin went up to Sakura and released the snake that bound her.

The young woman dropped to the ground, splitting out blood again. Sakura glared at him murderously despite her sickly form. "Go to hell, Orochimaru," she spat at him when he kneeled before.

Orochimaru only smiled as if nothing happened and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I will take away your deadly wounds just so you can fight Sasuke-kun and the Kyuubi brat," Orochimaru whispered with a small smile as Sakura felt the pain of the injuries fade away.

"Nande?" she grunted with a suspicious glare.

"It is none of your concern, Sakura-chan," he said before rising up from the kneeling position. He then turned to the stoic Uchiha who had been watching him the entire time and went up to Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun, you know what to do." With that, Sasuke eyed him as he walked over to Kabuto and disappeared in a whirlwind of fire.

This was it. This was truly the end for Team 7. Sakura stood up and took out her gloves to wear. The whole time her eyes were on Sasuke with a void of emotions. Naruto came up and tightened his hitai-ate with a determined gaze. Sasuke had his gaze on the dirt before while his long bangs covered his expression from his ex-teammates. The young woman jumped from the statue of Madara and landed on the water while biting her thumb as the same time. Naruto and Sasuke saw this and nodded at one another before doing the same thing she did.

All three slammed their hands down at the same while shouting the familiar words: _"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"_

Smoke filled the air heavy as the three silhouettes stood calmly atop their summons. Soon larger silhouettes appear behind the smoke screen as a toad, snake, and slug. When it was finally cleared, the anticipation and tension was the new atmosphere as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all have a smirk or a grin on their lips.

"This is going to be the first time all three of us are going against one another," Naruto stated looking at his friends.

The dark-haired boy scoffed and smirked. "Don't get too excited, Dobe."

"You guys had better not leave me out or I'll kick your asses all the way to hell," Sakura warned with a smile and cracked her knuckles as an emphasis.

The toad, Gamabunta, took a huff of his pipe before speaking. "Are we at it again, boy?" he asked in irritation.

Manda hissed and looked at Sasuke angrily. "It's you instead of that idiot, Orochimaru? I hope you fight better than him or I'll eat you for bothering me," he hissed in a threatening manner but was quieted when Sasuke showed him his Sharingan.

"It's good to see you again, Sakura," Katsuyu greeted in a soft, gentle tone compared to that of the males.

Sakura smiled and nodded her head. "Same here, Katsuyu. Let us end this once and for all."

As if on cue, Manda slid down the statue with lightning speed and was aiming for Katsuyu until Sakura jumped off and formed her chakra blade. When the snake had his mouth open wide, Sakura dodged to the left and ran along the side of his body, splitting his jaw. She only got a couple of yards until she heard the sound of birds. Quickly jumping out of the way, Sakura turned back to see Gamabunta flying at her at full speed.

Naruto leapt off of the giant toad lord and dived to give Sakura a punch in her abdomen. The girl went flying backwards into the snake. As he landed on the water, Naruto summoned his _Bushin no Jutsu _to deflect Sasuke's Chidori. When he was sure that the Chidori was dissipated, the Kyuubi container pushed chakra down to his feet, giving a burst of energy to appear in front of the shocked Uchiha. Naruto swiftly snapped a left round house kick while grabbing Sasuke's arm and yanked him back to execute consecutive punches.

Sasuke, on the other hand, threw up both his arms to black the nonstop attacks, dodging left and right, left and right. However, the blonde shinobi manage to land a punch on his cheek, throwing Sasuke away at the wall of the valley. The Uchiha pulled his Kusanagi and stabs it into the wall to stop flying body. His body flew upwards along the cliff for a few more feet with the loud rumblings of the rocks due to the katana slicing through it. When he finally stopped, Sasuke swung himself up and landed on the handle of the katana. He quickly formed the hand signs of his fire jutsu and took a large breath with swirling crimson Sharingan.

_"Katon…Housenka no Jutsu!"_

Sakura stood up slowly, her head still pounding after it impacted on Manda's touch scale. But as soon as she got up, she heard high-pitched whistling sound which alerted her. Sakura leapt up in time to see three balls of fire slightly shaped as a flower aimed at her. At that very same moment, Manda decided to snap his fangs at her.

_"Zesshi Nensan!"_

Out of nowhere, a large blob landed on Manda, making him writhe in pain as the acid burn into his skin. The monstrous snake cried out in pain and glared hatefully at the slug.

"Damn you, slug!" he hissed, making his way quick to her.

Seeing this, Sakura made her way to the toad lord and took his dagger with her inhuman strength. She quickly threw the blade at the snake, catching him off guard as it stabbed him in the lower bulk of his body. Again the snake yelled in pain. Satisfied, Sakura made her way to the two shinobi in anger while they were kunai at one another. Taking out her own kunai from the holster, the kunoichi threw it in between them, stopping the path of the two blades. Grunted Sakura made hand signs for a water jutsu; it was a good thing that Sakura insisted Kakashi to teach her some or she wouldn't have survive for very long.

_"Suiton: Seiryuudan no Jutsu!"_

A humongous water dragon appeared with its yellow glowing eyes glowered down vengefully at the two shinobi. Its watery tail whipped before it gave a loud roar and dived down for Naruto and Sasuke. Not being able to dodge it quickly enough, the young men just braced themselves with arms before them. The impact was great as it pushed them back by the waterfall. Coughing and gasping for air, Naruto and Sasuke were shocked that she can even do a jutsu at that level of hers.

Sakura was breathing heavily as she glared her green eyes at her teammates. "I told you," she breathed. "I told you not to leave me behind."

Glancing at one another, the two men nodded and got into a fighting stance once more. The kunoichi, too, got into a stance as they all waited silent for someone to go first. However, it wasn't like that when all of them exploded towards one another, heading directly towards each other. Naruto created his Bushin, Sasuke pulled out his katana, while Sakura gather chakra into her right hand. And when they all met in the center, an explosion was created due to the massive strength of each.

_Silence…_

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_. . . .sounds of birds. . . ._

_. . . . whirling wind. . . ._

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_. . . . a cry. . . ._

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So? How was it? Did you like that action scene? Yeah, it's supposed to be like that and you'll see why in part two of Chapter XX! Anyways, I gotta go now!

PLEASE REVIEW!

Winter OUT!


	21. XX Part II: Goodbye For Now, My Friend

**Well, here it is! The last chapter of Part I of the Memoirs Trilogy! Finally! But it's not the end yet! Part II, "Remember Me Always," will appear soon! Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter! I know it's a shitty way to end, but that's how it goes people! Well, I'll let you guys starting with the reading now!**

**Disclaimer: Moi no own! And sorry for my grammar errors! No time to fix!**

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Chapter XX Part II: Goodbye For Now, My friend 

_By: Winter's Holly_

"_You and I will meet again, When we're least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I won't say goodbye my friend, For you and I will meet again__" Tom Petty_

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…_Red…_

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…_Blood…_

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…_and…_

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…_a…_

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…_smile…_

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_Tragic_

-o0o- 

The chirping of the one thousand birds and spirally wind and chakra died until the only sounds were the rushing water of the fall and…thick red blood, dripping onto the once clear water. With each drip, the crimson liquid immediately dissipates and blends completely with the water. Just like everything else in the world, it disappears and leaves no trace of its existence. It just drifts away into the darkness and lies forever in emptiness…just like their friendship…

-

"S-Sakura…chan," Naruto finally spoke after what seemed like an eternity, even though it's only been a minute since it happened.

The said kunoichi grunted as she smirked at the Uchiha's wide-eyed expression. The three friends were splattered in each other's blood form head to toe, the two shinobi shocked while the kunoichi stoic. They all stood silently as the cool mist hit against their heated skin. Naruto was unbelievably surprised at his female teammate who stood before him with his right hand lodged into the lower right of her back. However, in his left shoulder, was the blade of the Kusanagi. Sasuke, meanwhile, was standing stiffly, refusing to yell in pain due to Sakura's hand in his shoulder right above his heart when she used her chakra scalpel. But, his Chidori barely landed on her own heart had she not averted it.

Sakura's cough of blood shook the two out of their shock, bringing their attention back to her. Sakura again coughed weakly when she attempted to laugh at the irony of it all. They were trying to protect her, yet, in the end, they did contrary instead. Sakura opened her eyes, not even realizing she closed her eyes in pain from the new wounds she received. That was funny as well. Her old wounds that Orochimaru had taken away ended coming back with even more excruciating pain and by her two precious people, too. Such irony it is indeed.

Sakura leaned forward, but only slightly as she gave Sakura the most genuine smile he had seen in years from her. It was as if she came back again, the Sakura he knew when he was twelve.

"L-long…time no…see…Sasu…ke-kun," Sakura rasped out before she closed her eyes slowly and fell forward. The last image she saw was the surprised face of Sasuke who immediately pulled his hand out and caught her. Before succumbing completely into darkness, a smile lingered on her lips as one thought passed her mind: _'I'm sorry…I couldn't save you…from…the…loneliness…' _

-

As the Uchiha caught her, he felt numb when he heard her and saw her smile. What was this feeling? Why did it hurt to hold her right now? No…no! It was happening again! This same empty feeling. It twisted at his heart as he remembered this emotion. It was the same emotion he felt nine years ago. It was because he was weak. If he didn't have any of these useless human emotions, maybe he could have saved his family. If he wasn't so weak, he could have left her and save her from him. Sasuke's hands shook as he held the unconscious young woman. Her blood was all over him, mingling with his. It was too much. He couldn't handle it any longer. Sasuke didn't realize how numb and full of utter shock he was. When he handed Sakura to Naruto, the man looked even more scared when he stared at his blood-stained hands. Blood! There was so much of it! It's just like before. It's just like the massacre. His wide black eyes moved onto her face. Her expression reminded him of his mother.

Still in disbelief, Sasuke stumbled back after seeing his mother's face upon Sakura's. He had to leave. He couldn't be here any longer. He can't be with them anymore. If he stayed any second more, he was sure he'd go insane just by being around them. Sasuke moved back once more, but hastily when Naruto took a step towards him with a worried gaze on his face.

"S-Sasuke?" Naruto asked hesitantly, seeing the crazed look in his eyes. It seemed like if he provoked Sasuke, who knows what might happen.

Hearing his call, Sasuke snapped on his Sharingan with his katana pointed at his former teammates. "Stay away from me!" he screamed, but then hissed when the curse seal started to act up. It hasn't done that since he first came to Orochimaru. Why is starting now? The Uchiha threw his hand over his shoulder, suppressing the pain. When it went away for a bit, Sasuke regained a bit of his sense and blinked a couple of times. Panting heavily, he looked at Naruto with strain in his eyes. "Go…" he grunted before hissing in pain again. "Go and help Sakura."

Before Naruto could say a word, his name was called from afar. "Naruto!"

It was Ino he noticed when he turned to see. She waved her hand while the others stood behind her. Both teams jumped down and raced towards the three injured ninja. When Ino was close enough, she gasped, seeing the damage on Sakura. "What did you two do to her?!" she cried as tears flowed from her eyes. She's never seen Sakura like this. So much blood was flowing from her large wounds. Ino slowly moved towards Naruto and moved her hands to her best friend's blood-covered face. She just couldn't believe it. "S-she risked _everything _for you! And this is how you two repay her?! You ungrateful bastards!" When she said this, she glared specifically at the quiet young man who remained impassive. "How could you do this to her?! To Sakura?!"

"Ino!" Shikamaru reprimanded, but he went up to comfort anyway as he wrapped his arms around the crying girl. Looking at Kakashi, Shikamaru nodded at Sakura.

Taking the hint, Kakashi took Sakura from Naruto's arms. "Come on; we have to hurry back to Konoha before she runs out of time," Kakashi spoke calmly with authority. He turned to Ino. "Ino, I need you to heal Sakura as much as you can. Hopefully, we can hold out for a bit longer. Let's go!"

Soon every person took off as fast as they can, praying that they will make it on time. If they won't, then…Sakura will be gone forever. Naruto was about to follow as well until he noticed that Sasuke was going the other direction. His blue eyes grew large as he dashed in front of Sasuke. "Where do you think you're going?!" he yelled while Sasuke glared at him. "Are you just going to leave her again!"

The raven-haired boy scoffed and looked down at the water. "Why would I—Argh!" Sasuke was thrown across the river due to the punch Naruto gave him. The young man turned on his side as he spat the blood from his mouth. Looking up at Naruto, he glared hatefully at him. "What the fuck was that for, you dumbshit!"

Naruto was breathing heavily when he stared back at Sasuke. Tears slowly appeared in his eyes as he closed them tight. "N-nande?" he asked, making Sasuke lift a brow in curiosity. "Nande, Sasuke! You can't do this to her! You can't just show up in her life again and then just fucking leave! Who do you think you are?! Sakura…she…she did everything for you, but you're going to leave just like that?! You can't do that to Sakura, man! You can't leave her again!" the shinobi cried so hard at their friendship. What happened? It seems like they're drifting farther and farther apart every minute. His family was dying and there was nothing he could do about it. It was tearing him inside. His family was slowly disappearing and he will be alone again.

Sasuke only stared in pity at his friend. How Naruto reminded Sasuke of himself. It reminded him of how weak he was. it reminded him of how…lonely it was to be alone. But it reminded him that he needed to be strong. Not only to kill his brother, but…for them…his new family. Sasuke made a silent promise to himself and to them. He promises that he'll be back one day. It may not be the same as the days when they were genin, but they'll build new memories from the sad ones.

Sighing, Sasuke got up and went up to Naruto. The boy was still crying, but quietly now as he wiped his tears on his sleeve. A hand on was his shoulder as he stopped and dropped his hand. Silence passed through the two shinobi whose bond was strong as of a regular bond of two brothers. The two understood each other in that instant. Sasuke glanced at Naruto who nodded. _'We will meet again.'_

-o0o-

_14__th__ of May…Konoha Hospital…_

_It has been exactly two weeks since the battle. _

_It has been eleven days since the surgery. _

_It has one day when she woke up. _

"Sakura?" Ino called as she brought in numerous of flowers that stood for friendship and health. "How are you feeling?"

Sakura sat unspeaking, staring at the many gifts she received from her friends and others she never met before. She was like this as well. She refused to speak at all. All that was there on her face was nothing. But it wasn't the cold indifference she used to radiate. Something was different about her now. She felt regret and sadness. That's all she felt now. She no longer felt any anger towards Naruto or Sasuke.

Ino sat and gazed at her best friend with a painful look. "Sakura? Are you okay? I mean…Sasuke is gone now and your memories have returned. What will you do now?"

Sakura sighed and looked at Ino. The girl looked like she was going to cry due to the lack of answer. The pink-haired kunoichi turned her gaze at the window. "Did you find it?" she asked suddenly and stared at Ino.

The blonde frowned. "There wasn't anything of the object you mentioned when we took your belongings, Sakura," Ino responded.

Sakura nodded, silence taking over her again.

As they sat, a lot of thoughts ran through both girls head—one contemplating, the other guessing. Her blue eyes lingered on her quiet friend for a while as she tried to guess what Sakura might do after this. _'Will she keep on going on like this or will she…? But Sakura would never do that! Would she?'_

Ino stood up abruptly and turned Sakura around so that she could speak with her directly. "Sakura, you have to tell me: what you are going to do after this?" Ino insinuated each word. She had to make sure that Sakura wasn't going to hurt herself again. however, the girl didn't answer and it made Ino realize that Sakura will never _ever _be the same again. the girl she knew as a child was gone forever. Sakura will never be able to give a real smile anymore. She was too broken. She shut herself away from the world.

Seeing as how she'll get nothing from the kunoichi, Ino stood up and gave a shaky smile. "W-well, I'll see ya, Sakura," she timidly and went out of the door, closing the door with a soft click.

When the room was quiet again, the kunoichi averted her gaze to the sunny sky as the light breeze came in. Her eyes were much more dull than it has ever been. She didn't even notice the pain anymore; her body, soul, and heart were completely numb now. She can't feel anything, not even the pain of her new wounds. But those wounds would heal with time unlike everything else. The wound that Naruto gave her, Tsunade managed to heal that completely; however, the wound that Sasuke gave, there would always be a scar there. The attack was too close to her heart. And if Tsunade had gone any farther, then she would have lost her life right there. But that was probably much more easy for her there. Dying was less painful. Life was too much. She didn't even know if it was worth living anymore. Everything she does always cause her so much pain, why not end it now? It would be less stress for everybody else.

Sakura sighed. _'But that would be a stupid thing to do, wouldn't it? It would only show how much of a coward I would be.' _For the rest of that day, her thoughts occupied her, making her wonder what she would do next after she was done recovering.

-o0o-

_Orochimaru's New Hideout…_

Sasuke was sitting in his new room in the dark, considering it was now underground unlike the houses in Oto. Kabuto healed all of his wounds and managed to heal the wound that Sakura caused with her chakra scalpel. But the medic was going to heal it with no scars, Sasuke stopped him, telling the medic that he wanted it as a reminder. When asked why, he only responded with a grunt and glare. As he sat in his room, Sasuke only sat and stared at the pitch black of the room, wondering when all of this was going to end. He wanted to forget everything. The battle, Sakura, Naruto, anything that reminded him of Konoha!

_Knock!_

_Knock!_

_Knock!_

The young man didn't answer the door, but just sat on his bed. The door was knocked once again. and once again, Sasuke didn't do anything. When the knocking finally stopped, the door opened slowly to reveal a small sliver of dim yellow light from the hallway. It was Kabuto. The medic lifted a silver brow at how dark and cold the room was before landing his gaze on the quiet Uchiha. With his dark features and pale skin, it made Sasuke look like a ghost, sending shivers down Kabuto's back.

Stepping in, Kabuto spoke in a casually manner, "Sasuke, Orochimaru-sama would like to speak with you."

Said boy didn't say anything, but turned his head to give Kabuto the most eerie look he's ever seen. Sasuke truly did look like a ghost. His face was so pale and his body had become so thin because of lack of sleep and food. The medic frowned at this. "Sasuke, you had better take care of your body or you'll get even more sick than you already are," Kabuto warned as he went to check on the boy. However, as soon as Kabuto even came with five feet of the stoic man, a kunai was thrown in his direction. Shocked, Kabuto looked up to see wide blank Sharingan eyes staring at him.

"Get out," he whispered quietly as a snake suddenly appeared and crawl towards the medic. This made Kabuto even more aware of how unstable Sasuke is at the moment. Soon the curse seal began to snake its way up the boy's neck and face. The fiery red marks burned brightly as Sasuke repeated himself in a louder murmur, "I said get out."

Kabuto quickly did as he was told, not wanting any trouble and left the room. When it was dark again and his seal receded, Sasuke leaned his head back against the headboard with closed eyes. His breathing and heartbeat were hard, but he felt better than he did before. His eyes opened suddenly staring into nothing as the constant low ringing was heard. He lifted his hand only to still see nothing. Sasuke frowned at this. For a second, a silly thought had passed his mind at this observation. Was this what blind people felt like? To be lost without their sight? Feeling vulnerable all the time? Sasuke didn't know if he could even live like that without his Sharingan. It would be hard since it was his natural instinct to use the kekkei genkai.

Clicking his tongue in irritation at the ridiculous thought, Sasuke turned to his side and grope inside the drawer of his bedside table until he felt a box of matches. He could use his _Gokakyuu _jutsu, but that would be too big just to simply light a candle. After he lit it, the shinobi laid back on his and pulled from his sleeve the shuriken necklace that Sakura wore. As he moved it, the dim light came through in different shades of the facets of the stone. He sighed as he remembered how it took it from her. When she fell on him, her necklace had slipped out of her shirt, now hanging. Seeing this, Sasuke immediately took it before he lifted her in his arms.

The young man sighed and closed his eyes again. He was going to do it. He was going to forget her once and for all so that he can carry on his mission. He will erase his memories of Konoha…of her.

-o0o-

_19__th__ of May…Konohagakure…_

Today was her last day being hospitalized. Sakura was glad that she finally got to leave the place. She was starting to get a bit annoyed by all of the visitors she gets every minute of everyday, asking her if she was alright. If she wasn't so tired of everything, she would have yelled at them to leave her alone. However, even though, it was her last day, Tsunade still insisted that she stayed for another night, just incase. It was still early in the morning and she wasn't scheduled to leave until late noon because of her checkups. Of course, despite the fact that she didn't care, she just couldn't take being in the place any longer with others bothering her. She'd rather be alone with her thoughts than people who would constantly worry over her.

Sakura didn't have to be connected to those damn machines anymore, but she was taking more drugs than she used to for her wounds. And now that she had that new scar above her heart, she might have some heart difficulties which is why she also have those heart pain medication as well. Her duty as a ninja is going to be a lot tougher now that she is more vulnerable than before.

The girl sighed and moved off her bed to the slightly open window. The sun still hasn't risen over the mountains, yet, so she could get away right now if she wanted to. The nice cool morning breeze and the fresh pine air made it really tempting and she wanted to get away from the hospital so bad. The kunoichi took a peek over her shoulder before pushing the window wider and climbing on the ledge of the window. Sakura turned back and breathe in deeply, as if feeling her lungs for the first time. She smiled a bit with a single thought before jumping. _'Nobody's going to care if I was gone anyway.'_

-

Sasuke was now in Orochimaru's room as the sickly man sat, his breathing raspy. It took the young man quite a while just to get to the room. He was just now outside of his body mentally. The result of the recent battle had gotten to his head as he stared ahead as if in a trance. His dark orbs looked even more eerie as they just gazed blankly in the distance.

Orochimaru only scoffed at this. He knew this would happen. He had warned Sasuke before he started his mission that if he had fallen for the kunoichi, things would end disastrously. Of course, the young man grimaced at the idea, grunted why he would even fall for his former teammate. And now look at him, the Sannin thought. He just looks like a doll now—just a body and no soul. Orochimaru smiled at this. Maybe he could get the boy's body now, instead of waiting. But…a child with the Sharingan and perfect chakra control along with the darker inner strength would definitely make a better body than just a Sharingan user. After much contemplating, Orochimaru decided he would wait for a bit until the time comes. Yes, it would positively be much, much better.

"I'm erasing my memory of everything." The words suddenly caught the man off guard as he heard them in bafflement. "I'm going to forget everything that ever happened to me."

This is an outrage! What about all that hard work he spent trying to get that boy strong! Damn ungrateful brat!

"And what about our bargain, hmm?" Orochimaru questioned with a bitter expression. "And what about your revenge? Are you just going to throw everything away? You insolent child!"

He was angry. Does Sasuke really think that he can get away that easily? No. He won't allow it. He will get that body, one way or another.

However, all of those thoughts disappeared when the Uchiha spoke again in a dead tone. "I'm not going to forget my revenge; I'm going to keep most of those memories, so I can still retain me as me. I'm just going to forget everything that happened to me that dealt with her. I will carry out my mission, I assure you."

This seemed to make him even more angry than before. This was just ridiculous! How was he to get that child now? Damn it! There must be some way to change his mind.

Sasuke spoke again before he even uttered a single word. "I'm not changing my mind on this, Orochimaru. I'm going to have Karin erase them as soon as possible that way I can concentrate more on training and killing Itachi," Sasuke stated with absoluteness that the Sannin had no room to argue.

And with that being said, Sasuke turned to leave when Kabuto suddenly burst in. He looked at Sasuke for a brief second but then shook his head and ran to Orochimaru. Sasuke left them, not caring why Kabuto came in looking so flustered like that. The young medic bent down to whisper in the snake man's ear. After several seconds, a smile soon spread itself across his lips as he stared at his door. Suddenly, laughter broke out as Orochimaru shook his head and looked at Kabuto from the corner of his eye.

"So she will, will she?" he mused with a glint in his eye. "Then this turnout along with Sasuke's had just made my plans a lot easier." Orochimaru laughed again. "Konoha will finally crumble to ashes once and for all!"

-o0o-

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tsunade asked with uncertainty as Morino Ibiki and Mitarashi Anko stood behind her with Homura on her left and Koharu on her right. "This mission will take who knows how long. Not only that, in order for you to accomplish this mission, you have to be an ANBU. And the ANBU examinations aren't at for another month. Unless…" the blonde turned to Ibiki and Anko who both nodded.

The person in front of them lifted a brow in question. "What's the catch?"

Homura spoke. "The only way for us to allow you, Sakura, to complete the ANBU exam within three days quickly and to take and complete the mission is—"

"Is that you must have your memories erased, all of it," Koharu continued with a stern gaze.

"All of it?" Sakura asked with a slightly incredulous look. She frowned a bit and looked at the floor. She knew this was going to happen. If she wanted this mission, she must forget everything. But if she did, would she be able to go without remember who Naruto or Kakashi was? However, if she did choose to forget, she would be able to succeed in her mission without her feelings getting in the way. So what would it be? For her memories or for her mission? Sakura took a deep breath. Well, she has decided. She'll take the mission, though it is rather disappointing considering she just recovered everything of Sasuke she couldn't remember. It's too bad, really. Maybe things would be different this time. If there really was a next time anyways.

As she looked up, her gaze was fierce with determination and everyone knew immediately what her answer was. "I accept," she said resolutely.

Tsunade, on the other hand, seemed rather speechless. Sakura was really going to take this mission. She was willing to go that far? She looked at her two advisors and they seemed to have no problem with it. In fact, they looked proud that her apprentice chose this decision. Her almost colored eyes returned on her student with a frown and were saddened to see that there was no wavering in her student. Then she had no choice. This was going to be the most painful thing she will ever do in her life. Tsunade stood up, avoiding Sakura's eyes.

"Then, it's decided. You will take the exam and if you pass, you will have your memories taken away and will be given a new identity when you begin your mission. Is that understood?" Tsunade glanced from the corner of her eyes to see the young woman bow with a 'hai!'. "Now go!"

Sakura straightened up to look at her Shishou and could see how much it was hurting her. But this was something she had to do. This is her mission just as much as it is Sasuke's. As she left the office, her fists were clenched tighter than before as she imagined how much it'll hurt the rest of them, but Naruto and Kakashi will be affected the most. One thought lingered in her mind as she stepped out of those tower doors: _'I'm sorry…Sasuke.'_

-o0o-

_As the day came to an end, the sky grew violet instead of the pink hue like it usually did. It was a sign. It meant the beginning of something new. The beginning of friendship, love…and death. And as the sky kept growing darker and darker, upon a hill where a lone tree stood at the base on the roots were three small bundles of small blue flowers. Their velvety blue petals with a slight streak of purple in the center of each gave a soft shine to them despite the dark sky. Even its tiny bud seemed precious next to their older companions. However, the wind started to pick up and the petals, unfortunately, began being plucked from its home. One by one, the petals left leaving nothing but a green stem. The forget-me-nots were nothing like they were before, but more will bloom again. No matter how futile, they will come together again. _

_All three of them will see each other again…despite the gap in time…they will never forget…_

* * *

Aa...! I can see all the glares now! LOL! I'm sorry to end it like that! But I had to! I didn't want to give too much info away! -dodges all dangerous objects- SERIOUSLY! IT'S FOR THE BEST! TRUST ME! 

**ANYWAYS! IF YOU WANT ME TO HURRY, GIVE ME MORE REVIEWS THIS TIME! SERIOUSLY! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?! DID I JUST SUDDENLY SUCKED ASS OR SOMETHING?! A COUPLE OF CHAPTERS AGO, I GOT REALLY GOOD AND PLENTY REVIEWS. BUT LAST TIME ON CHAPTER XIX, I ONLY GOT _THREE _REVIEWS! THREE! WHAT THE CRAP! AM I THAT BAD AT WRITING NOW THAT PEOPLE DON'T REVIEW ANYMORE? CAUSE IT'S FINE YOU KNOW, I COULD JUST ALWAYS LEAVE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE FOR LIKE A YEAR LIKE OTHER AUTHORS YOU KNOW, AND YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE STORY. **

**SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WAIT A YEAR FOR PART II TO START, PLEASE START REVIEWING. I KNOW I'M BEING A BITCH ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S JUST COMMON COURTESY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO READ, PLEASE REVIEW. OTHERWISE, I'LL STOP WASTING YOUR TIME AND MINE AND JUST STOP WRITING. SO JUST BE POLITE AND REVIEW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO READ CAUSE IT'S REALLY IRRITATING. THANKS.**

OKAY, NOW THAT MY BITCH RANT IS DONE, I'M GOING TO LEAVE NOW. SO _PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW._

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


	22. Information on Part II

Hey, guys! This is Winter's Holly telling you, that if you want to read Part II after "Forget-Me-Not" the new name is "Remember You, Always." I've already posted the story so you can continue reading! Yay! Anyways, when you do read "Remember You, Always," you better review or kick your asses by not writing anymore!

Also, I'm not sure if this'll effect the writing process of "Remember You, Always" or not, but I'm going to start writing my book now since I'm confident enough that people like my writing! Yeah, that's why I get on people's cases for not reviewing! I have low self-esteem, everybody knew that (even people in my school that I've never MET)! So please be respectful when reading other people's work, kay? Now go enjoy the second part of the Memoirs Trilogy!

Sincerely,

Winter's Holly


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